NOVEL NEXT Chapter 20 Escape
I've been walkin' around for a while, and even though I didn't find much in the first few minutes, I started to spot some animals and insects a little further in. This place's ecosystem is really strange.
I've come across a bunch of critters that remind me of the ones back home, but they're different either in appearance or color. The closest thing I found was some kinda rodent that looked like a squirrel, but it was green.
'Is Valac still watchin' me? He dropped me off here and now he's just lettin' me wander around?' As I keep walkin', I check out the scenery. Even though some of the plants give me the heebie-jeebies, the place is still pretty darn beautiful.
I spot this weird-lookin' animal that's kinda cute, so I carefully approach it. It seems like some kinda rabbit, so I don't think there's too much to worry about.
"Hey there, little fella. What are you..." I almost touched it, but I pull my hand back. I don't know what kind of monsters might be runnin' around here if this rabbit's even normal.
'What am I, some kinda kid? Pokin' my nose where it don't belong?' I scold myself for doin' stuff that could put me in danger.
"..." It looks at me in a real cute way, but for some reason, it don't run off.
'That's weird... what kinda animal's this chill in the wild? Probably better I get goin' I don't know what this rabbit might do.' This is a whole other world a simple rabbit could be a real nasty critter.
I keep walkin' through the forest until I spot a clearing.
'What's that plant in the middle of the clearing?' It's a flat, open area with just one plant right in the center. I circle the clearing calmly, but it seems normal enough.
'Am I just bein' paranoid?... No... when I touched that door, I lost my hand. I'm just bein' smart to be careful.' The experience of losin' my hand shows how hostile this world is even simple things can be dangerous.
'How can I test if it's safe?...' I think it through, tryin' to figure out how to check if it's okay to go in the clearing. After a bit, I pick up a rock on the ground and toss it at the plant.
My strength is kinda weak, so it takes a few tries, but I keep grabbin' little pebbles and chuckin' 'em at the plant until I finally hit the mark.
CHOMP
"!!!!!" I fall back, my body shakin' with fear. But I'm relieved I played it safe.
"Some kind of... carnivorous plant?" The huge plant took a big ol' bite outta the whole clearing. I guess the plant is the clearing itself if I'd walked in, it woulda gobbled me up.
Luckily, it seems like it can't leave its spot. After a while, the leaves that make up its jaws fall back to the ground, reformin' the clearing.
'S-So sneaky!' An incredible huntin' mechanism all it has to do is sit tight, and the food comes right to it. I start walkin' away, knowin' I can't trust a dang thing around here.
'Good thing I didn't touch that rabbit I don't even wanna imagine what it might've done.'
Buzz buzz buzz
I start hearin' some kinda electric crackle comin' from somewhere.
'From... the sky?' I look up and spot a little bird flyin' around.
"A birdie... what's it...KYAAA" I dodge, throwin' myself to the ground just in time to avoid gettin' zapped by a bolt of lightning.
'LIGHTNING? THAT DANG BIRD SHOT LIGHTNING??' I jump up and start runnin', and the bird comes chasin' after me, electricity buildin' up in its talons and wings.
"B-Big bro, please help me!" I call out to Valac. The bird keeps firin' off those lightning bolts, each one burnin' a hole wherever it hits, showin' how powerful the attack is.
Buzz
I trip over a root and fall to the ground, but that saves me from gettin' my head fried by the bird's electric shot.
"Analyze" I try usin' my Analyze skill, but it don't work, showin' I'm weaker than that bird.
'How strong is that thing? Why's it after me, I didn't do nothin'?'
"Big bro, help me please!" I can only run and call out for help. This thing's dangerous, and it ain't lettin' up. Luckily, its aim ain't too great.
"BIG BRO, I'M SORRY FOR BEIN' CURIOUS, I LEARNED MY LESSON, PLEASE HELP ME!" I'm scared of those lightning bolts hittin' me. I just wanna get outta this forest it's thick, but I can't hide from somethin' in the sky.
The tree branches are cuttin' my dress and skin, I'm all dirty from fallin', and I'm startin' to feel beat.
'This couldn't get any worse.'
I keep runnin' with everything I've got, callin' out to Valac for help. But that ain't too smart the noise might attract other predators.
And like clockwork, just as I said it couldn't get worse, four more birds join the chase, so now there's five of 'em on my tail.
"!!!"
'WHAT THE HELL?' I can only curse in my head. I don't wanna get hit, so I just keep tryin' to dodge while I run for my life.
At some point, they stop shootin' lightning and just chase me.
'T-They ran outta magic?' I wish that was the case, but my luck's the pits. The five birds form a cross formation and start chargin' up some super-charged attack together.
"!!!" I dive to the side as they fire off this massive lightning bolt. The ground from where I was standin' all the way out for meters is now just a scorched line, cuttin' everything in its path.
'If that had hit me, it woulda split me right in two.' I just keep runnin' as they go back to firin' off individual attacks. At some point, I start tryin' to use Heal, but it don't help much.
'Valac, please help me...' I can't even yell it out anymore. I've asked him for help so many times, but these birds are super persistent they ain't lettin' up even after all this time of chasin' me.
Even though I've managed to dodge everything, I still got a few small cuts on my body. But that's not my biggest problem.
"Haha" I let out a tired laugh.
'Nowhere to run...' The forest has me completely boxed in. All I can do is stop and look up at the sky, where the birds are waitin', chargin' up that big lightning attack.
'This is so unfair...' I can only think about how unjust this all is. I did my best to get away, but all I managed was to end up in a dead end.
BUZZZ
The sound of the lightning gettin' charged up sends shivers down my spine, but in an instant, all the birds get gobbled up by some big ol' reptile that flies by.
"A... dragon?"
"No... too small" I figure it must be some kinda wyvern or something similar. I drop to my knees, amazed by my unexpected stroke of luck.
'Never thought I'd be so grateful to see a monster.' Luckily, the wyvern didn't spot me, so I'm here all alone. I sit on the ground and start usin' Heal to try and recover from the exhaustion.
After 15 minutes of restin', I stand up to keep goin' on my journey.
'I can't stay in one place for too long... I gotta camouflage myself.'
'Movies, lend me your wisdom!' I plop down and cover myself in mud, gettin' my pristine white dress all dirty. It's a bit uncomfortable, but I figure it's better than being hunted down.
I continue on my way, now covered in mud. Even though it's a little gross, I feel more confident that I'll be harder to spot.
"Haha, I doubt anything's gonna-Ow!" Something bit me. When I look down, I see a snake slitherin' away after takin' a bite.
"..."
'SERIOUSLY?' I'm just irritated that I got bit by somethin' literally a second after boastin' about my camouflage. At least, since I'm immortal, the bite probably ain't a big deal.
'Hopefully it ain't some kind of paralytic.' That would suck, gettin' stuck in place. I keep walkin' carefully, tryin' not to draw any attention.
'I'm hungry...'
Even though I don't actually feel hunger, my body clock is tellin' me it's time to eat. But what am I supposed to eat out here in the middle of nowhere? I can't hunt, and I'm scared of touchin' any fruit, worried it might be a paralytic or aphrodisiac. Heck, what if I try grabbin' a tree and it decides to attack me?
'I'll just tough it out... not worth the risk of tryin' to eat something.' I'd rather just deal with this feelin' than take that chance. It's more of a biological warning than an actual need, anyway.
I keep walkin' until I catch a sweet scent in the air.
Sniff Sniff
"Smells... good..." It really gets my appetite goin'.
'No, focus. I don't need food.' I keep walkin', but the smell just keeps gettin' stronger the further I go.
"Oh, sweet temptation of the devil, why should you torment me so much?" I silently recite that Portuguese line that if I'm not mistaken was once famous, my stomach begging me to go eat while that tantalizing aroma calls me.
"..."
'DAMMIT... Stomach, you don't need food, why you doin' this to me?' I start complainin' to my own body. How can it do this to me when I don't actually need to eat?
I keep walkin' towards the smell and find a beautiful tree, with reddish, slightly rounded fruits that I guess are some kind of apple.
