Chapter 18: Don't throw up
The morning air was crisp and clean as Lev stepped out of the small village inn, the scent of wood smoke and fresh bread still lingering from breakfast. The journey from Equinox had taken exactly one day by foot, just as the merchant had described, and he'd spent the night in the last settlement before the Whispering Woods began. The village was about an hour's walk from the forest's edgeâclose enough to be accessible, but far enough that the sounds of civilization had faded into the distance. Now, with the sun just beginning to rise above the treeline, he was about to enter the forest for the first time in his life.
He'd summoned Zelem as soon as he'd left the city gates yesterday, not wanting to draw attention to himself by having an active summon in the crowded streets. The skeleton had been a reassuring presence during the long walk, his dark eyes constantly scanning the road ahead for potential threats. Now, as they approached the forest's edge, Lev could feel his partner's alertness through their bondâa mixture of curiosity and readiness that mirrored his own emotions.
The Whispering Woods stretched before them like a wall of ancient trees, their massive trunks rising high into the morning sky. The forest had earned its name from the way the wind seemed to carry voices through the branches, creating an eerie chorus of whispers that had unsettled travelers for generations. Even now, Lev could hear themâfaint voices that seemed to speak in languages he didn't recognize, words that danced on the edge of comprehension. Some sounded like warnings, others like invitations, and still others like the mournful cries of lost souls.
But in the golden light of dawn, with birds singing in the canopy above, the whispers seemed almost musical, almost welcoming. The morning light transformed the ominous voices into something that felt more like a lullaby than a threat.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Lev said quietly to Zelem, who stood beside him with his hand resting on his sword hilt. The skeleton's response came through their bond as a sense of agreement mixed with warinessâhe could feel the forest's magic, the presence of creatures that made this place their home.
They stepped into the woods together, and immediately the world changed. The sounds of the village had long since faded behind them, replaced by the rustle of leaves overhead and the distant calls of forest birds. The air was cooler here, carrying the rich scents of earth, moss, and growing things. Sunlight filtered down through the canopy in dappled patterns that shifted with every breeze, creating a mosaic of light and shadow on the forest floor.
The whispers grew stronger as they moved deeper into the woods. Lev could hear them more clearly nowâvoices that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. Some spoke in what sounded like ancient languages, their words carrying the weight of centuries. Others seemed to be calling out names, though whether they were calling to him or to someone else, he couldn't tell. And still others sounded like they were having conversations, their voices rising and falling in a rhythm that almost made sense.
Lev found himself relaxing despite his initial tension. The forest was peaceful, almost magical in its beauty. Fallen leaves crunched softly underfoot, and he could hear the gentle gurgle of a stream somewhere nearby. This didn't seem like the dangerous place he'd been warned aboutâit felt more like the enchanted woods from the stories he'd grown up hearing.
"Maybe I overestimated the danger," he said aloud, his voice carrying easily in the quiet morning air. "This seems almost safe."
As if the forest had heard his words and decided to prove him wrong, a small rabbit hopped into view from behind a fallen log. It was the most adorable creature Lev had ever seenâsoft brown fur, twitching nose, and bright eyes that seemed to sparkle with innocent curiosity. It paused when it noticed them, its ears perking up in interest rather than fear.
"Oh, look at that," Lev said, his voice filled with wonder. "It's not even afraid of us. Maybe the animals here are more peaceful than I thought."
The rabbit tilted its head, studying them with what seemed like genuine interest. For a moment, Lev found himself wishing he could approach it, maybe even pet its soft fur. It was so small, so harmless-looking, that it was hard to imagine it could pose any threat to anyone.
Then the rabbit's eyes changed.
The innocent curiosity vanished, replaced by something predatory and hungry. Its mouth opened, revealing rows of sharp, needle-like teeth that seemed impossibly large for such a small creature. The transformation was so sudden, so complete, that Lev found himself frozen in shock, unable to process what he was seeing.
The rabbit launched itself at him with a speed that defied belief, its fangs gleaming in the morning light as it aimed for his throat.
Lev's mind went blank with terror. He could see the creature coming, could see the death in its eyes, but his body refused to move. The stories had never prepared him for thisâthe reality of violence, the suddenness of attack, the way fear could paralyze even the most determined person.
But Zelem was already moving.
The skeleton's sword flashed through the air with a speed that seemed impossible, the blade catching the morning sun as it sliced through the rabbit's body with surgical precision. The creature was cut cleanly in half, its momentum carrying both pieces past Lev before they hit the ground with wet thuds.
The silence that followed was deafening. Lev stood there, his heart hammering in his chest, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. The reality of what had just happened was still sinking inâhe had almost died. If Zelem hadn't been there, if his summon hadn't reacted with such perfect timing, he would be lying on the forest floor with his throat torn out.
"Thank you," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Thank you, Zelem."
The skeleton's response came through their bond as a mixture of satisfaction and concern. He could feel Zelem's relief that he was unharmed, but also his worry about what other dangers might be lurking in the forest.
Lev forced himself to look at the remains of the rabbit, his stomach churning at the sight. The creature's body had been split cleanly in two, the cut so precise that it looked almost surgical. Blood was already beginning to pool on the forest floor, and the coppery scent of it filled the air, mixing with the earthy smells of the forest in a way that made Lev's nose wrinkle.
He felt his stomach lurch, a wave of nausea rising in his throat. The sight of the blood, the smell of death, the realization that he had just witnessed his first real violenceâit was all too much. He bent over, his hands on his knees, fighting the urge to vomit.
"Don't throw up," he muttered to himself, his voice shaking. "Don't throw up. You're an adventurer now. You have to be strong."
He took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. When the nausea finally passed, he straightened up and looked at the rabbit's remains again. This time, he noticed something glinting among the blood and visceraâa small, crystalline object that seemed to pulse with inner light.
"A monster core," he said, his voice filled with wonder. He'd heard about these before, the magical essence that remained when creatures died, but he'd never seen one in person. It was smaller than he'd expected, about the size of a large marble, but it glowed with a soft, warm light that seemed to pulse in time with his heartbeat.
He reached down and picked it up, his fingers trembling slightly as he touched the warm crystal. The surface was smooth and warm to the touch, and he could feel a faint magical energy emanating from it. This was valuableâmonster cores could be sold to merchants or used in various magical applications. It was his first real loot from his first real adventure.
"I did it," he said, pocketing the core with a sense of pride that surprised him. "I didn't vomit, and I got my first monster core. Maybe I can do this after all."
But as he looked around the forest, his confidence began to waver. The peaceful morning had been shattered by violence, and he was beginning to understand that this place was far more dangerous than he'd initially thought. Every shadow could hide a predator, every innocent-looking creature could be a threat.
"We need to be more careful," he said to Zelem, his voice low and serious. "We need to stay hidden, stay quiet, and watch for danger."
The skeleton nodded, his dark eyes scanning the surrounding trees with renewed vigilance. Together, they began to move deeper into the forest, their steps now cautious and measured, their senses alert for any sign of danger.
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The next few hours were a lesson in survival that Lev would never forget. They encountered several more creatures, each one more dangerous than the last. A pack of small, wolf-like creatures with glowing eyes that seemed to track their every movement. A bird with razor-sharp talons that swooped down from the canopy, only to be driven away by Zelem's quick sword work. A snake as thick as Lev's arm that moved with unnatural speed, its scales glistening with what looked like poison.
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Each encounter left Lev more shaken than the last. He was beginning to understand that the forest was a place where death lurked behind every tree, where even the most innocent-looking creatures could be deadly predators. The stories he'd grown up hearing had been sanitized, cleaned up for children. The reality was far more brutal, far more immediate.
But the worst was yet to come.
They had been walking for what felt like hours when Lev felt a sudden, overwhelming sense of dread. It was like a cold hand had reached into his chest and squeezed his heart, a feeling of wrongness that made his skin crawl. He stopped in his tracks, his breath catching in his throat.
"Something's wrong," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Zelem had already stopped, his hand on his sword hilt, his dark eyes fixed on something ahead of them. Lev followed his gaze and felt his blood run cold.
There, stretched between two massive trees, was a web so large it could have caught a horse. The silk was thick and glistening, catching the sunlight in a way that made it look almost beautiful. But there was nothing beautiful about what it represented.
"Don't move," Lev whispered, his voice shaking with fear.
They stood there, frozen in place, watching as a squirrel approached the web. The small creature seemed drawn to it, its movements slow and deliberate, as if it were in a trance. Lev could see whyâthere were small, glistening droplets on the web, glands that secreted some kind of attractant that lured prey closer.
The squirrel reached the web and began to feed on the droplets, its movements becoming slower and more sluggish with each passing moment. Then, without warning, the web began to move.
A spider emerged from the shadows above, its body larger than a human's torso, its eight legs moving with a grace that was both beautiful and terrifying. Its eyes were black and soulless, reflecting the light in a way that made Lev's skin crawl. The creature moved down the web with impossible speed, its mandibles clicking together in anticipation.
The squirrel tried to escape, but it was too late. The web's sticky strands held it fast, and the spider was upon it in seconds. The predator's fangs sank into its prey, and Lev could hear the sound of the squirrel's death cries, high-pitched and desperate, before they were cut off abruptly.
"Don't throw up, don't panic" Lev chanted to himself, his stomach churning with revulsion. The sight of the spider feeding, the sound of its mandibles working, the smell of death and decay that filled the airâit was all too much. He felt his breakfast rising in his throat, but he forced it down, determined not to give in to his body's natural response.
He activated his Summoner's Eye, focusing on the spider in a desperate attempt to understand what they were dealing with. The blue window appeared in his vision, and what he saw made his blood run even colder.
Giant Forest Spider
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Rank: Uncommon
Race: Arachnid
Attributes: Poison, Earth
Level: 47
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A massive arachnid predator that has claimed this territory as its hunting ground. Its web mastery and stealth abilities make it a deadly ambush predator.
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Stats:
Strength: 77 Defense: 79
Agility: 66
Intelligence: 66
Wisdom: 65
Mana: 72
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Abilities:
Web Mastery â Skill Rank B, Proficiency A: Creates massive, nearly invisible webs
Prey Attraction â Skill Rank D, Proficiency B: Secretes alluring droplets that draw prey into web
Venomous Bite â Skill Rank A, Proficiency B: Paralyzing poison that liquefies prey
Stealth â Skill Rank C, Proficiency A: Can move silently and blend with shadows
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Summon Potential: B
This creature has reached its natural peak as an apex predator.
Giant Forest Spider [https://i.imgur.com/RKpnd8i.png]
This was no ordinary creature. It was a high-level uncommon monster, far beyond what Lev had expected to encounter in a "common zone." The spider was clearly the alpha predator of this area, a creature that had claimed this territory as its own and would defend it with deadly force.
"We need to get out of here," Lev whispered, his voice barely audible. "Now."
They backed away slowly, their movements careful and deliberate, trying not to attract the spider's attention. The creature was still feeding, its attention focused on its meal, but Lev knew that could change at any moment. One wrong move, one sound too loud, and they could find themselves in the same position as the squirrel.
It took them nearly ten minutes to get far enough away that Lev felt safe enough to breathe normally again. The sense of dread that had gripped him began to fade, replaced by a deep, bone-weary exhaustion that seemed to settle into his very bones.
"That was... that was..." Lev couldn't find the words to describe what he'd just witnessed. The reality of the forest was so much more brutal than he'd imagined, so much more immediate and deadly.
Zelem's response came through their bond as a mixture of concern and determination. The skeleton had been ready to fight if necessary, but he was also relieved that they had managed to avoid a confrontation with such a powerful creature.
"We need to find the slimes," Lev said, forcing himself to focus on their mission. "We need to get what we came for and get out of here as quickly as possible."
They continued through the forest, their movements now even more cautious than before. Every sound made Lev jump, every shadow seemed to hide a potential threat. The peaceful beauty he'd initially seen in the forest had been replaced by a constant sense of danger, a knowledge that death could come from any direction at any moment.
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It was nearly midday when they finally found what they'd been looking for. They had circled back to the area where they'd killed the rabbit, following a hunch that Lev had about where slimes might be found. The forest floor was littered with fallen leaves and decaying vegetation, the perfect environment for the creatures they were seeking.
And there they wereâthree slimes, each about the size of a large dog, their bodies a translucent green that seemed to pulse with inner light. They moved with a slow, undulating motion that was almost hypnotic, their forms shifting and flowing like liquid as they glided across the forest floor.
"Oh, they're actually kind of cute," Lev said, his voice filled with wonder. "Look at how they moveâit's almost like they're dancing."
The slimes did have a certain charm to them. Their bodies were smooth and glossy, catching the sunlight in a way that made them seem almost magical. They moved with a grace that was both alien and beautiful, their forms constantly shifting and changing as they explored their environment.
"I wish I could touch them," Lev said, his voice filled with curiosity. "They look so soft"
But he knew better than to approach them directly. Slimes might look harmless, but they were still monsters, and he needed to be careful. He activated his Summoner's Eye, focusing on the first slime to see if it possessed the skill they were looking for.
Forest Slime
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Rank: Common
Race: Slime
Attributes: Acid, Earth
Level: 24
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A translucent green slime that feeds on organic matter and forest debris. These creatures serve as nature's cleanup crew, dissolving dead matter back into the ecosystem.
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Stats:
Strength: 7 Defense: 57 Agility: 8 Intelligence: 100 Wisdom: 76
Mana: 78
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Abilities:
Acid Spit â Skill Rank D, Proficiency C: Ranged acidic attack
Regeneration â Skill Rank E, Proficiency D: Slow healing over time
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Summon Potential: D
Limited growth potential, primarily useful for basic tasks.
Forest Slime [https://i.imgur.com/ORVycmw.png]
The creature didn't have the Flow Harmonization skill they needed. Lev checked the second slime, then the third, but neither of them possessed the required ability either. He felt a twinge of disappointment, but he'd expected this. The skill was rare, and it would take time to find the right slime.
But then something happened that changed everything.
The slimes had noticed the remains of the rabbit, and they were moving toward it with obvious interest. Lev watched as they approached the bloodstained area where the creature had died, their movements becoming more purposeful, more focused.
At first, he thought they were just curious, investigating the source of the blood and death that had occurred there. But then he realized what was really happening.
The slimes weren't just investigatingâthey were feeding.
They moved over the bloodstained ground, their bodies flowing and shifting as they absorbed the remains of the rabbit. The blood, the flesh, even the bonesâeverything was being dissolved and consumed by their acidic bodies. The process was slow and methodical, but it was also horrifying to watch.
Lev felt his stomach lurch again, this time with a force that he couldn't resist. The sight of the slimes dissolving the rabbit's remains, the sound of their bodies working, the smell of acid and decay that filled the airâit was the final straw.
He bent over and vomited, his breakfast coming up in a violent rush that left him gasping and shaking. The taste of bile filled his mouth, and he could feel tears streaming down his face as his body purged itself of the horror he'd just witnessed.
"Why does everything have to be so fucking disgusting?" he muttered, his voice shaking with revulsion. "Why can't anything be simple and clean?"
The slimes had finished their meal, leaving behind only a few scattered bones and a patch of ground that looked like it had been bleached by acid. They were moving away now, their bodies pulsing with satisfaction, but Lev knew that the damage had been done.
The sound of his vomiting had attracted their attention.
The whispers around them had changed again, this time carrying a note of alarm and urgency. Some seemed to be calling out warnings, their voices rising in pitch as if trying to alert him to the danger. Others sounded almost disappointed, as if they had been hoping for a different outcome.
All three slimes turned toward him, their bodies shifting and flowing as they prepared for action. He could see the intelligence in their movements now, the predatory awareness that had been hidden beneath their seemingly innocent appearance. These weren't just mindless creaturesâthey were hunters, and they had identified him as prey.
"Oh, oh," Lev whispered, his voice filled with dread as the slimes began to move toward him, their bodies glowing with a dangerous light.
The forest had taught him its first lesson: beauty could be deadly, innocence could be a lie, and death could come from the most unexpected places. Now it was about to teach him its second lesson: how to fight for his life.