We walked our goats through long, four-meter high, six-meter wide paths that led straight through the mountain. A dim light came from smaller corridors to our right.

Taking a look at the one we passed, I looked into a well-lit area that lay beyond. Small openings were barely visible in the corridor. We walked down it and could see that the doorways led to sizable apartments with a common room, two bedrooms, and a kitchen. Each had windows that gave a free view of the other side of the mountain, beyond the river.

"I've never seen such large housing… are these all meant for large families?" Laurel muttered as she stared into a doorway to our left.

"No," I said with a laugh. "Rathica based these on the apartment buildings that used to exist on earth before the collapse of the world economy. The smaller ones are meant for individuals, or couples with a single child."

As the others followed me, I softly explained how earth housing had worked. My mind wasn't really with it, though, as I moved through what felt like the most familiar place I'd been to since leaving earth. The height of the square door frames, the layout of the rooms, and the fact that each apartment had a bathroom, everything was as I remembered it. I'd never known how specific those things were to earth till I arrived here.

She knew exactly what to do, I thought as we arrived at another intersection.

"Alright, I've seen enough. Let's go back to the central area," I said as I turned my goat to the right, towards the light.

The other two silently followed me as we moved past high windowed shopping buildings that lined the main street. I looked inside, and although they were dark, empty, and dusty now, I could almost picture them, bustling with people, buying and selling magically based technology. Would they be able to recreate the internet and VR implants? Would people even want those things now that we had a world with true magic?

Time will tell, I thought as we moved out onto the massive balcony. Light came from the left and right and ahead was an edge. I could hear the water stream below, and I headed towards the far edge until I could look down. The entire other side was covered with similar balconies. I could only see the wall, lined with corridors of the one in front of ours and the next below. Far, far down, two small docks sat on each side.

"I wonder if monsters will enter through the water before we get back?" I muttered.

"I don't think they will. The influence from Rathica's statue will keep most away, at least for a while. If not, we will just have to clear them out!" Haltir said. "Now, let's go! I've been in this horrible place for long enough. I want to see if those Roasted Vestiri are really as good as Laurel keeps telling us."

I took a last look around, then looked at Haltir and Laurel. They were staring at me, waiting for my command. I still hadn't gotten used to that.

"You're right. Besides, we need to get seeds for crops, and rations or the first to arrive will starve. Let's go to Crouhal!"

--

A day later, we were racing along the rocky coastline, a cloud of screeching blackbirds after us.

"There's Torpel Trees ahead!" I roared, turning my mount away from the sea, towards a small cluster of trees.

"I'm not sure the Vestiri will stop for them!" Laurel shouted back.

Well, they better, I thought as I cast a quick glance at Haltir. Blood streamed from gashes along the side of his face, but his eyes were clear, and his mouth pursed.

Who the hell ever thought a flock of birds could mimic stones, I thought as my Sabertooth Goat jumped atop a one-meter high boulder and beyond without a hitch. The trees were straight ahead, and I rushed below them. Almost immediately, the Torpels opened their demonic mouths and began screaming. I looked around, but the bird cloud was still gaining on us and would catch up soon.

"Any great ideas?" I roared.

"Stand and fight?!" Haltir shouted as he pointed at the trees. "At least we have some cover here!"

"Against a flock of Vestiri? We'd be dead in seconds! Can't you make these things run faster?" Laurel shouted back.

"I would have if I could!" I said, gritting my teeth.

Looking around for a way out, all I saw were mountains and water. I took a look at the sea. I could probably escape through the water… but what about the others?

Wait, what's that…? I blinked as I saw an odd ripple in the water, and a moment later, a huge v shape began moving towards the coast.

"Something's in the water!" I shouted.

The others took a quick look before turning back to the incoming birds.

"It's just some demon!" Laurel shouted. "We have bigger troubles!"

I turned back to the birds and cursed. Those would be on us in half a minute. I jumped off the goat, ripped off my pack and the vengeful sprayers before putting my hands on the goat and casting hardened wood. Normally I limited myself to as much as the wood could handle before it began drawing my mana, but not this time. I continued until I felt a sizable drain, then I stared into the goat's eyes.

"Kill all those birds!" I commanded.

The goat turned and ran off, its hooves making a metal clanking now. Its speed was also far greater than when it was carrying me. It would reach them in seconds.

"Get off your mounts! They are more useful if they can fight!" I shouted, grabbing a vengeful sprayer and trying to draw in a spirit.

"By Lischen's tits, look at that thing move!" Laurel hissed, ignoring me. The angry screeching turned into an ear-shattering howl, and I cringed just as a spirit surged into the sprayer. I dropped the small sculpture, not even sure what to do with it. It wasn't like it could do anything to the birds with the simple water. Perhaps a distraction?

Haltir was half dismounted, gaping at where the Vestiri birds were.

"Get off!" I shouted again, turning my attention to the birds.

The goat had reached them and was running below the flock, jumping up and snatching birds from the air with its mouth. The Vestiri swarmed around it, their forward motion slowed as they began attacking the goat with their claws and beaks. It sounded like a hailstorm on a metal sheet, and I could envision the dents appearing all over the goat.

This might work! I whirled around and yanked Haltir from his mount, ignoring his startled yell. Putting my hands on the goat, I increased its hardness, feeling the mana drain increase even more. How long could I keep this up?

"Attack the birds!" I said as soon as the drain felt like the previous one. The goat barged off, and looking up, I felt my vision swim. My health bar appeared, and a ping came from my status. I summoned it immediately.

> Mana regeneration insufficient

> Draining life-force

As I read the message, two percent of my life had drained away already. At the rate it was going, it would be empty in under a minute. I didn't even have time to wonder where my mana-regen was supposed to be, as I'd never seen it on my status.

Looking up, I saw the second goat reach the battle. Dozens of unmoving black shapes lay around the first goat, but it barely made a dent in the cloud.

"This is great! We can just wait until they clear them out," Laurel said, finally climbing off her mount. "Do this one too!"

I wanted to say I couldn't, but as I opened my mouth, the world spun before me, and suddenly I was sitting on the ground, looking at my hands. My health bar was only down by ten percent, but for some reason, I felt dead tired already. Summoning my status cost me insane effort, but as it popped up, I saw my stamina bar was empty and blinking an angry red.

"What is wrong with you, boy?" Haltir sat on his knees beside me, shaking me.

"Mana...drain..." I muttered, not even sure what it meant myself.

I barely heard Laurel ask what I'd said or Haltir as he repeated my words. I did hear Laurel's shouted curse that followed, although it was muted.

"Cinderage’s balls!"

A moment later, I felt hands on my shoulders. At first, nothing happened, then the hands turned warm, and something flowed into me, similar to when Rathica had given me infinite endurance. It was only a trickle, but almost immediately, I felt my vision clear up. Taking a deep breath, I looked up to see Laurel scowl at me.

"Do you think you're a wizard or something? Why did you do that if you can't handle the drain?"

Wizard, I thought, and I tried to remember when I had heard that last while mumbling a reply. "I bibn't bnow.". My tongue was still numb, and my words came out garbled.

"How much mana regen do you have?" Laurel hissed through clenched teeth.

I shrugged, which was odd with hands on my shoulders. "I bon't know. Where does it say?" My tongue turned normal again, although tingly.

Laurel's eyes widened in shock as she stared at me, then she muttered something I didn't catch.

Haltir must have seen my confusion because he cut in. "Mana-regen only shows on your status if you actually have more than the regular value everyone is born with. You're a fool for using mana skills if you have none! How you even kept these things moving without dying until now is beyond me..."

I felt my anger surge up. How was I even supposed to know that? The fact that he'd basically called me a fool irked me even more. About to rebuke him, I took a deep breath, then an increase in cries from the still fighting birds made me remember what was going on, and I released the air in a big whoosh. As it did, my mind began working again. It wasn't anybody's fault but mine. I'd never even asked about the status window, thinking I knew everything just because it resembled things from Earth.

"Those goats don't cost mana. I used a spell called Har-"

A roar from the sea drowned out the screeching of the birds and the rest of me trying to explain what had happened. Looking up, I saw a centaurian thing crawling out of the water. Its reptilian lower body was covered in plates that gleamed like fish scales, while its upper body was a muddy red, almost as if it was painted with dried blood. Even from this distance, I could see it had to be twice as tall as I was.

The Torpels above us began screaming in rage and fury, their small eyes turned towards the demon, and I felt a splitting headache begin.

Laurel's hands were still on my shoulders, and she squeezed so hard it was painful. Her mouth was opening and closing while her eyes were wide with panic.

"What is that?" I shouted above the screaming of the Torpels.

Beside me, Haltir was holding his ax in a death grip, his eyes transfixed on the incoming demon.

"We need to run," Laurel shouted, and for the first time since meeting her, I heard pure and unabashed fear in her voice. Even when we had been stranded in the sea, she hadn't acted like this.

"No running," Haltir said quickly. "There's no running from these things." The soldier turned to me, his eyes sharp. "Whatever you're doing with those goats, stop it right now. We need to get ready to defend ourselves."

Pushing down the questions I felt bubbling up, I turned to the goats that were still fighting the birds. Although their bodies were scratched and dented, they continued plucking the Vestiri birds from the sky like they were playing some kind of catch the ball game. I couldn't cast Soften Wood without touching them, and that was the only thing I'd found that could cancel out the current drain. About to shout for them to come back, I had an idea.

Taking a deep breath, I roared new orders at the top of my lungs. "Lure the birds to that demon!"

The goats responded immediately, turning towards the coast and the demon that was climbing across the slippery boulders towards more solid ground. They began backing up, slowly first, but as soon as the birds followed, they increased their speed.

"Will they attack the demon?" I shouted, not letting the goats out of my sight.

"I don't know," Haltir replied. "But that was quick thinking. If they do start fighting, get those mounts back here immediately. Without wizards, we can't fight an Inrel demon without taking heavy damage."

"We will find out in a moment," I muttered, my voice drowned in the constant Torpel screams.

The Inrel demon had climbed across the hurdle and stretched itself to its full length right when the goats jumped on the same small outcrop it was standing on. The birds swirled above them. Spotting the newcomers, it reared a challenge as it stretched its arms out. A red sheen covered its body, and streams of what looked like blood ran across and to his hands to form small red balls hovering above its fingertips.

"Good," Haltir shouted, as bursts of short red beams flashed from the demon's fingers, causing birds to explode, blood and body parts raining down. "Call back the goats!"

"RETURN!" I roared.

The goats turned on the spot and leaped from the outcrop, hopping and jumping back towards us. Behind them, the birds were swirling around the demon. Small wounds were appearing across its torso and head, and the demon began swinging with its hands, more of the red beams decimating the cloud as each of them downed multiple birds.

It took the goats awhile to reach us, but as I put my hands on the first, I saw their bodies were far more damaged than I had thought. Holes and cracks ran across the wood that had taken on a metallic luster. As soon as I cast Soften Wood, the drain on my mana lessened, and when I finished with the second goat, it had stopped completely.

"You can let go now," I shouted. Laurel didn't respond, and I turned my head to look at her. Her face was slack, and her wide eyes were glued to the Inrel demon. "Laurel!" I shouted. She still didn't respond, and I grabbed her hands and peeled the fingers off one by one. When the last was gone, a shock ran through her, and she looked at me.

"Wha..?"

"We are leaving," I said, pushing her towards the closest mount. She didn't respond but climbed on. I turned and snatched my pack and ax from the ground before moving towards the last free goat. Haltir was already mounted, and as soon as I got on, his goat moved away at top speed.

Laurel and I followed, and as the wind howled past my ears, the screaming of the Torpels slowly faded in the background.