Octavius’s heart raced as he awoke from the dream. His heart hammered in his chest, and cold rivulets of sweat ran past his wide-open eyes to be collected in his beard. Breathing in sharp, short gasps, his eyes scanned the darkness around him. After holding his breath for a moment, he closed his eyes and exhaled with a shudder.

His head bounced slightly as he let it fall back against the bark of the tree. With his eyes closed, he focused on his breathing, on slowing his heart rate.

It was just a dream.

It was just a dream.

Repeating it like a mantra, he forced the words through his mind over and over until his rapid heartbeat slowed slightly and his breathing became less shaky. Sitting up, he looked at the forest that was surrounding him. The leaves all around him were only illuminated by what little moonlight trickled through the canopy above. It was still far from daybreak. He checked the time remaining in the tutorial to get a good idea about the current time. The tutorial started at about midday, which meant that because the system told him that there were nine and a half hours until the next day, it was about 2:30 am.

There was no way he was going to sleep again after that, not to mention that he needed something to do. He could already feel his mind trying to shift back into the way it was just after Castle's death, but he wouldn’t let it. Had he been back on Earth, he would go for a heavy exercise after such an episode, but he couldn’t exactly do that here. What he could do, however, was go hunting.

His movements were quick and forceful as he unfastened himself and his spear from the tree and climbed down. The moment his boots hit the ground, he took off towards the Sanctuary. He wanted, maybe even needed, to fight something, and the beasts were all heading straight towards the Sanctuary.

He made only basic attempts at concealing his movements as he ran. It took less than three minutes for what little noise he did make to attract the first beast. The raccoon leapt from a shadow directly into Octavius’s path, hissing with the unnatural madness of the beasts affected by the Emergence.

His step didn’t falter as he planted his right foot and pivoted around it, bringing his spear down directly onto the moving animal. Even pinned to the ground by the gleaming metal blade, it squirmed for a moment before Octavius twisted the spear violently, and it stilled.

You have killed Common Woodland Raccoon (Lvl 17) and gained 1063 EXP (1/4)(17)(1)(2)(1.25)(100)

The moment the message appeared in his vision, Octavius dismissed it and began to accelerate into a run once more. He gripped the spear with his right hand as he ran, prepared to fall into any number of offensive and defensive stances at the drop of a hat.

His jaw was clenched as his boots pounding into the ground with a constant rhythm. To the beasts of the forest at that moment, he was death incarnate. The moment a beast crossed his path, his spear reaped its life so much like Death’s own scythe.

You have killed Common Green Fox (Lvl 19) and gained 1188 EXP (1/4)(19)(1)(2)(1.25)(100)

You have killed Common Pine Marten (Lvl 8) and gained 250 EXP (1/4)(8)(1)(1)(1.25)(100)

You have killed Common Giant Tree Frog (Lvl 7) and gained 219 EXP (1/4)(7)(1)(1)(1.25)(100)

You have killed Uncommon Kylizi Viper (Lvl 21) and gained 2750 EXP (1/4)(22)(2)(2)(1.25)(100)

You have killed Common Forest Squirrel (Lvl 12) and gained 375 EXP (1/4)(12)(1)(1)(1.25)(100)

He ran and killed and ran some more all the way to the Sanctuary. Once he was close enough to the Sanctuary that the watchers and guards therein could nearly hear him if they had a high perception, he changed his course. Instead of running into the Sanctuary, he ran parallel to its northern border. Abandoning all attempts at stealth, he all but crashed through the underbrush, all the while killing rabid beast after rabid beast.

The non-stop running and combat finally began to dent his stamina even though he had only used his instant thrust skill a few times and had yet to use whirlwind. His skin began to flush, and a light sheen of perspiration covered the exposed parts of his body.

That was exactly what he was looking for, so he continued his dangerous hunt. In the back of his mind, he knew that there was a chance of a dangerous high-level beast being attracted to his movements rather than the Sanctuary only a few hundred feet from him, however unlikely it was. The special operations soldier in him was shouting that any unnecessary risk was foolish, but he shoved that voice to the back of his mind. All the animals are far more attracted to the ring of fire around the Sanctuary than they are to my footsteps, he rationalized, besides, the only beasts I've come across are the ones I've literally run it to.

The longer the hunt went on, the more fluid his movements became. His conscious mind seemed to take a back seat as his body ran almost on pure instinct and training. Letting himself fall into an almost trance-like state, his heartbeat became slow and steady. He killed one creature after another with a serene look upon his face.

In the split second that a pig-like creature emerged from the bushes and into his path, he reacted with superhuman speed. Lengthening his stride, he held his spear almost like a lance. The pig squealed as it was run through. It bucked and bucked but quickly fell to the silver-colored spear.

Octavius hunted in what was essentially a trance for an hour. The beasts that were attracted to the sound he made as he ran perished one by one. Only once did he come across a beast that could've been a significant threat to him, a level 26 mountain lion that leapt from the darkness and nearly tackled him. Instead of risking a fight in the dark with the feline, he dodged the pounce, ducked behind a tree, activated his illusion ring, and left it a thousand feet behind him before deactivating the ring and continuing his hunt.

Suddenly, he was jerked from his half-conscious state by a distant shout to his left that was quickly followed by the cracks of a dozen gunshots. They rang out with a rapid pace until they went eerily silent, and only the distant shouting remained. It was clear to Octavius that there was a powerful beast or group of beasts that were attacking the defenders of the Sanctuary.

Knowing the gunshots came from relatively close by, he adjusted course. His heavy boots slammed into the dirt, rocks, and tree roots that made up the ground as he broke into an all-out sprint. Covering ground at well over ten yards per second, the shouts resolved into voices and the sounds of combat.

“... THEY COMING, SOON?” a voice screamed, nearly hysterical. The sound of loud thwacks and crashes became clear, and Octavius pushed himself to run even faster. A deeper voice tried to issue orders to work together, but it was clear they weren’t being followed. Soon, the shouts and chaos were broken by a scream of agony.

Octavius felt his jaw clench as the first scream was joined by a second. He was getting closer to the fight with each passing second, and he could soon see the orange light of the fires that ringed the Sanctuary at night. His pace slowed considerably as he closed on the fight; as much as he wanted to charge into the fray, that would be foolish.

Instead, he came to a halt behind a large tree and slowly peered around it to see the battle. Eyes widening, he took in the scene of chaos. There were eight fighters standing in a ragged line, swing an assortment of knives, clubs, axes, and spears at their attackers. It was difficult for him to see the beasts that were attacking, but when he did, his blood ran cold.

An army of beetles swarmed around the haggard defenders. Their shapes were hard to make out in the flickering firelight, but each one appeared to be a foot across. Even then, it was not what they were that shook Octavius, but their numbers. It looked to be an entire colony of some sort; their numbers reached at least into the hundreds.

Common Giant Stag Beetle (Lvl 6)

Even as he watched, an older man with long grey hair stumbled ever so slightly. The moment he did so, the beetles fell upon him like an avalanche. His wild screams visibly demoralized his fellow defenders before cutting off abruptly.

These weren’t Octavius’s men, not his responsibility, but still, it hurt to see them fall like that. These defenders were risking their lives to defend the people of the Sanctuary. If they wanted to, they could’ve just left when the Emergence started and fled the population center. Octavius knew for a fact that some did just that, but this group stayed to defend the civilians. He could respect that, even if he wasn't the same. They were the same kind of people as some of his old men—the same kind of people as Castle, idealistic and determined.

His mind rushed through scenario after scenario, trying to think of a plan. If he just charged in, he’d be surrounded the moment the last of the defenders fell and would likely die. He could try to step into the line of defenders, bolster their strength, but even as he considered it, another one of the defenders fell to the relentless horde.

This one was a middle-aged woman, and she’d take down more than her fair share of the vicious creatures. Nonetheless, her agonized screams were silenced after a long moment. Octavius’s mind focused on his illusion ring; perhaps he could do something with that? No, what use would the ring do against a horde of these things? I’m not trying to escape, I either need to stop them for long enough for reinforcements to arrive or kill them all.

There was little doubt that the gunshots had alerted the surrounding guards, and many were likely converging on the location, but as Octavius watched a third defender go down, he knew they’d be too late.

His eyes turned to the campfires that illuminated the border of the Sanctuary. Can I do something with that? He thought, Ugh! The beetles all have shells, not to mention they are rabid. I doubt that they’d even think twice before running through the fires.

He stood perfectly still in the shadows as the beleaguered guards fell back. The only part of him that moved was his hand as it clenched and unclenched around the haft of his spear. Even as his body tried to rebel against him, his eyes went cold and dark. He knew that he couldn’t, wouldn’t, help these people.

Instead, he fervently wished that reinforcements would arrive. Perhaps if he stepped in, he could help hold the line for an extra minute, but it was a fool’s bet that the reinforcements would arrive in time.

By the time he got there, the ten defenders had become eight. Now, as he watched, they were further whittled down. The number of active fighters went from five to four and from four to three.

Once there were only three left, the older of the two remaining men shouted something hysterically, turned, and ran for the border of the Sanctuary. He made it half a dozen feet before one of the beetles that were already enveloping the group snapped its pinchers onto his ankle.

His screaming form fell to the ground, writhing there for a few long moments as more and more beetles piled onto him, and he went still.

The two youngest fighters were all that remained. One was a tall young woman with braided black hair and a caramel complexion. She had a simple wooden shield in her left hand and a wooden club in her right. The man next to her was short and had a lean physique. He stood back to back with her, swinging a jerry-rigged mace that was made from a wooden branch and a stone. They held determined expressions, with conviction in their eyes and movements.

Octavius stood silent vigil over their valiant final stand as the swarm surrounded them and attacked from all sides. He wanted nothing more than to go and help the two fighters but knew that alone he would all too easily be trapped and possibly killed by the swarm. No matter how much he respected what these two strangers were doing and wished he could help, he wouldn't commit suicide for them. Information entered his field of vision as he used identify on them.

Anika - Human (F) (Lvl 10)(Warrior)

Danek- Human (F) (Lvl 9)

They lasted less than a minute before one of the beetles got through the young man, Danek’s, defenses, and he fell to a knee. The massive bugs piled on top of him as his screams echoed through the forest. Even before his screams cut out, beetles were jumping over his writhing body and onto Anika’s back.

Octavius’s jaw clenched as the final defender fell, his knuckles white where they held his spear. Once the screaming cut off, he bowed his head slightly. I am sorry, he thought, you have fought well, and I hope you all find peace in whatever afterlife you believe in.

He was broken from his quiet reverie by a sorrow-filled wail. Looking up, he saw a man standing on the other side of the row of fires. He looked to be about Octavius’s own age and height. Tears glinted in the orange firelight as they ran down the man’s cheeks.

The man pulled a gun from his waist and fired into the mass of insects. Three staccato cracks rang out before the gun went silent, despite the man clearly still pulling the trigger. With a scream of rage, the man charged the quickly moving horde as they closed on the line of fires.

Swinging the gun around like a club, he barely got two swings in before he was enveloped by the horde. Octavius grimaced as the man’s sobs and shouts turned into screams and then into an eerie silence.

Octavius watched as more and more people entered his line of sight in ones and twos. Some of them seemed ready to charge forward, but an old man took charge of them all. Octavius used Identify on the old man as he brought the group of twenty-something fighters in a line formation.

David - Human (F) (Lvl 7)

Octavius saw how the man seemed to be comfortable organizing men to fight. He nodded to himself, Probably a veteran.

David’s shouts were clear even from a distance over the clacking sound that heralded the beetle hoard’s movements. “Everyone with shields, get to the front. Stay together and back up while they come at us. Don’t let them circle around us. Does anyone have a gun with ammo?” he bellowed.

A middle-aged man raised a hand, “I’ve got seven rounds in a handgun.”

David nodded, “Ok, can you use it?”

Octavius could see the flash of white from the man’s grin as he responded, “I sure as hell can!”

"Ok," David said, "If one of us loses our place in the formation, you need to cover them until they can recover or drink a potion."

Creeping forward, Octavius readied his spear. With an organized and prepared group of twenty, it would be a long defensive withdrawal, but he bet they could eventually wipe out the horde.

A cold grin spread across his face. He didn’t enjoy feeling useless. In fact, he detested it, and that was exactly how these creatures had made him feel. Now that the situation had changed, he deemed the odds of his survival high enough for him to get involved. The sheer amount of potential experience points he could gain barely factored into his want to fight. Instead, it was pure and simple vengeance.

As he crept towards the Sanctuary, he considered activating his illusion ring. It’ll definitely make it so that the Sanctuary’s guards won’t Identify me, he thought to himself, but it also makes me invisible to myself. Not being able to see my spear might not make a massive difference when fighting a bear, but it will against a horde of these small fuckers.

In the end, he decided against using the ring. Just as the swarm of beetles met the line formed by the defenders, Octavius was already circling around to join the defender’s line. He glanced at his current status.

Health

557/560

Stamina

389/760

Mana

520/520

Reaching to his belt, he slipped a vial of green fluid from a pouch and opened it. The feeling of warmth spread through his body as he downed the tasteless stamina potion. The grin on his face only seemed to grow; it was time for him to fight.

He circled the battle so that he was behind the fighting retreat of the humans. It was an easy decision for him to fight where he would be most effective: the middle of the human battleline. While someone would surely use Identify on him, his anonymity was no longer of such vital importance.

Since the Emergence had started, the Sanctuary had almost run out of ammunition and would probably be out by the time it was done. Without guns, he had the advantage over them with his level, illusion ring, and spear. Beyond that, he wasn’t sure that someone hadn’t already used identify on him since the start of the Emergence. He hadn’t exactly been hiding. In the end, he simply decided that the return on giving up only his name, class, and the level was worth it in this case.

Anticipation thrummed through him as he waited for the right moment. While he’d enjoyed the freedom that came from being alone in the forest, always having to fight on his own without anyone to watch his back was not something he relished.

Suddenly, an opportunity presented itself. While they were retreating, two of the shield-bearing fighters in the middle of the line had allowed a few steps of distance to separate them. Octavius almost eagerly took a few long strides forward into the opening. His spear thrust forward into the vanguard of the horde, skewering a beetle. He spoke with a grin as he removed his spear and used it to bat another beetle away, “Well, you guys look like you could use some help. Hope you won't mind if I step in.”