AAAAAAAAHHRRRRROOOOOOOOOH!

"No! Not the wolves again!" I drop my new body to the ground and curl into a ball, while instinctively activating bark-skin.

[HAHAHAHAH Sorry mate, couldn't resist. Don't worry, this is the last you'll hear from me, hopefully. The nearest town is that way, and I pre-loaded your Polyglot skill with the local language. Have fun, wreck some shit, make life interesting! Oh, and look out behind you.]

Slowly uncurling, I peek over my shoulder to spot a mangy, half-starved, runt of a wolf sneaking up on me. "Easy there, boy. I don't want any trouble here." Panic coursing through me, I struggle to stay calm as I regain my footing. The mutt shows his displeasure at my actions with a low growl.

"Fuck it! I'm a cat person anyways. Bind! Piercing Thorns! Drain!"

Reaching out my hand; Magic, the very essence of the universe, flows through me as roots erupt from the forest floor, holding the wolf in place. Vines quickly sprout, wrapping around the beast, sinking in several, inch long, dagger-like thorns. And... I fall on my ass, almost fainting before Drain kicks in, transferring the wolf's vital essence to my mana-drained self.

"Oof. Note to self, make sure you have enough mana before casting spells in the future."

*Ding*

-You have defeated Lvl. 1 Mangy Wolf. Congratulations, you are now level 1.-

"Uh, System-chan? Is that you?"

*Ding*

"Okay, cool. Uh... Voice guy? says hi, sorry I never actually got his name. I guess you can search GodTube for the skydiving birth vid." I mumble out that last bit.

*Ding*

A pause, then *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* A series of laugh like bells ring out.

"Yeah, haha. Come on, he said you were cool."

*Ding* A more apologetic tone this time.

"Thanks. So, I guess I just say, or think Status?" I say questioningly.

*Ding*

A transparent blue screen overlays my vision. A holographic copy of my new body slowly rotates on the left hand side. 190 cm tall, skinny, with vine-like muscles, covered by velvety, light-green skin that darkens at my extremities. Glancing down at my real arms I focus on the actual vines that grow starting from just above the elbows, wrapping around my forearms and the backs of my hands. Tiny ivy leaves, and multi-colored flowers blow back and forth in the wind as, with a huge smile on my face, I isolate one tendril on my finger and cause it to rise up and wave about. Settling the vine back in place, I focus on my hologram and zoom in on the head. Emerald Green eyes set in features sharp enough they almost look as though they were carved from wood, stare back at me from under short, spiky red 'hair'. My head is actually covered in the blood-red petals of my new namesake, the Sorrel plant.

Returning to the status screen, I quickly browse through the other tabs. Inventory, ten empty slots. Map, a green dot in the middle of darkness that's only broken by a waypoint to the southeast. And a Skills page with everything as it should be, including the new Red Sap, which lets my sap mimic blood. 'Thanks Voice guy.' Closing the screen with a thought, I continue my self-examination.

Feet and lower legs covered by a dark green, bark-like substance instead of the vines on my arms. Moving up to my waist I can see, starting at my belly button, a garden path made of smaller, even finer Sorrel petals. This leads down to, what appears to be, a pair of dark-green bikini briefs covering my 'twig and berries'. But, in fact, is a pair of tentacle like vines growing from the base of my spine, and the main reason I picked Plantkin. Wrapped around my waist, and tucked between my legs to protect my 'berries' from any hungry wolves.

Unwrapping my new 'arms' with a thought, I stretch them out to their limits, and pick up a small branch with one and a stone with the other. They're as long as my regular arms, but only half as strong. Wrapping 'things' back up, I finally stand again and go to inspect the, now desiccated, corpse of my enemy.

The previously conjured vines and roots having since faded away, I don't see much worth taking, but decide to try out one of my utility spells. Fortunately, they don't require nearly as much mana as the more combat oriented ones.

"Disassemble!" I call out and, with a simple gesture, green lights flow from my hand to envelope the remains. After a moment, the light fades leaving behind a poorly skinned pelt, two fangs, and a pile of claws. "Need to practice with that a bit, I guess." Leaving behind the pelt I shift the fangs and claws into my inventory.

"Time to try out shape-shifting, then head for town... after I make some pants"

Deciding to try for Human since I used to be one, I focus on my Skill and... Well, it's hard to describe, almost feels like I'm pulling in my guts, only all over my body. I've softened my features, and lost a goodten centimeters. Going from a skinny, green Plantkin, to a slim, tanned Human. My petals change into actual hair, but my eyes stay the same striking emerald. The Vines at my waist remain, though the ones on my arms have turned into a rather eye-catching tattoo. A quick look at my status show that I now look much like I wish I had as a teenager.

"Looking good." I say to myself. "Let's head into town, and hopefully find some plants I can shape into clothes on the way."

Moving towards the beacon while keeping an eye out for any more wolves, I soon Identify some fibrous plants that, with a judicious use of Disassemble and Plantshape, I am able to weave into some serviceable, if rough, trousers. After being notified by System-chan that I leveled both skills, I'm just starting on a vest when I hear a scream some distance to the east.

"Probably some bandits attacking someone on the road into town." I muse aloud at the clichéd scenario. "Eh, what the hell? Time to play hero."

Stuffing the remaining fibers into my Inventory, I set off at a jog towards the commotion.

Arriving at the scene of the crime, I see exactly what I thought I'd see. A dazed women sits tied up by the side of the road, tears leaking from her eyes as she stares at her dead... husband? No, they look too similar, must be her brother. Creeping closer behind a tree, I can make out a hushed argument between two bandits.

"What'd you have to go and shoot the damned horse for?" Bandit A says as he tries to shift a pair of saddle bags out from under it's dead weight.

"Well, I didn't exactly plan to, but somebody went and spooked it into rearing up just as I was firing." Bandit B replied as he bent over the man's body to loot it.

"Fine, fine. Tell you what, you can have first dibs on blondie over there, just hurry up over there and help me with this. We're too close to town and anyone could've heard her scream."

"We are not too close to town, they're all inside the walls this late in the day. Too afraid of some mangy mutts to wander far from shelter. So, you don't have to worry about anyone having heard us, you damn baby."

Seeing my cue laid out in front of me, I speak up. "Well, I wouldn't be too sure about that. Bind! Bind!" I quickly cast as the bandits turn towards my voice causing both to trip up and fall to the ground, giving my conjured roots a chance to grab their arms as well. "Ooh, careful there, you should always watch where your stepping."

"Fuck!" Bandit A spits out. "It's a Mage, bro. What the hell's a mage doing out here?"

"Shut up, you idiot!" Bandit B hisses at his bro. "Look, Ser Mage, this here ain't what it seems like..." Seeing my disbelieving face he trails off. "Yeah, didn't think you'd buy that. Maybe we could make a deal? We've got a fair bit of goods stashed back at our hideout... Not buying that either? Shit, looks like we're going to the mines, bro." He says with an apologetic look at his brother, who was now crying and looking as dazed as the woman.

"Plantshape!" I detach a stout branch from the tree I was just hiding behind and use it to bind their hands and feet together. From a distance, just in case they tried anything, before using my leftover fibers to gag their mouths. "You know, if you weren't planning to rape her, I might have just killed you outright. Now, I hope you rot." Walking over to the woman, I try to soothe her as I approach, but get no response.

"She hip her heb." Came a muffled call from Bandit B. Already resigned ot his fate, and probably trying to earn some leniency.

"Damn, let's hope this works. Healing Sap!" I cast a spell that drains my own vitality to create a healing tonic. Placing a few drops directly onto her head wound before sticking a finger in her mouth to feed it to her. I fumble, one-handed, with her binds which luckily weren't tied very well. All the while pumping nearly half my own health into her before the fog in her eyes finally cleared.

"Take it easy, you hit your head pretty hard." I say soothingly, backing up to give her some space, while also trying to block her view of her dead brother.

"Oh, Gods no! Rodrick! No, please no..." She trails off into tears before falling unconscious, I jump forward and grab her as she begins to tip over, gently guiding her to the ground.

"Great. Now I have to carry her ass into town. Should leave you two for the wolves." Bandit A freaks out at my proclamation, but B just sighs through his gag. "Don't worry you'll just have to spend a few hours up a tree. Plantshape!" I cast my most used spell, yet again. This time to have a tree pick the brothers up and settle them into it's branches. Locking their binds into place, of course.

*Ding*

-Plantshape is now Level. 3-

"Thank you system-chan, also... Woof, almost over did it there. Give me a few minutes to recover, Princess, then we can head into town." I say to the unconscious girl lying next to me. Gathering up her and her brother's belongings, I eye the horse. "Can't leave you here, you'll just attract wolves. Disassemble!" After the magic fades, I'm left with a pile of horse meat sitting on top of a poorly skinned hide. Luckily it all fit into my inventory, though I did have to chuck the claws and stick the wolf fangs into my trousers. "Too bad you won't fit in there." I say to the Deceased Rodrick. "Hate to leave you out here, but I should have enough mana for this now. Plantshape!"

Opening a cavity large enough for his body in a nearby tree, I then drag him over before and stuff him in before sealing it back up. "I'll come back with a wagon for you, so she can give you a proper burial." Slinging their saddle bags over my shoulders, I move over to the girl and use both pairs of arms to lift her into a princess carry.

Half an hour later, the Sun has fully set, and the lights of the walls are in sight. Hiding my vines, I call out. "Hello the gate! Have you got any healers in town?"

"Aye, what happened?" Came the reply from the wall. "Open the small gate, and run to fetch Maddie." The man on the wall called down to someone inside before coming down to meet me at the gate. "Come on in boy, you can lay her down on a cot in here. Now tell me what happened out there."

"Thanks, been carrying her for about half an hour." I said while straightening out my back after setting her down and dumping the saddlebags on the ground next to her cot. "Her and her brother ran into a couple bandits up the road..." I proceeded to tell him an abridged version of events.

"No offence lad, but I don't see you taking down two bandits on your own."

"None taken. Light!" I lift my hand and conjured a small, warm globe of light over our heads.

"Awakened." The gate guard spoke in an awed whisper.

"Of course he's an awakened, Leonard. Do you really think a boy, without even a shirt on his back, could be living out in the woods if he wasn't Awakened? Bet there's a story there." A woman's voice says from the doorway. As a plump, middle-aged, redhead steps inside.

"Maddie? I'm Sorrel by the way." At her nod I filled her in on what happened to the girl. "And as for the shirt, I was actually in the middle of weaving a new one when I heard the scream. Ended up using the fiber to gag the bandits. speaking of which." I turn to face Leonard. "Did you want to go get them now, or let 'em stew 'til morning? Oh, and I've got an inventory full of horse meat to clear out, couldn't leave it there to draw out predators."

"If you don't mind lighting the way." He says with a look at the spell. "Me and the lads will be happy to bring them in. You can drop the meat off at the butcher, we gotta head that way to round up the rest of my crew anyways."

Maddie chimes in. "I'll look after the girl, sounds like your spell took care of the injury and she just passed out from the shock and exhaustion, but head wounds can be tricky."

After a quick trip through town, Leonard and three of his crew had hitched up a couple carts and fifteen minutes later all five were back where the ambush happened.

"That's where I left their weapons and the horses tack." I point out a pile of stuff under the tree I trapped the bandits in. "You want them down, or Rodrick's body first? Either way, I'll need to rest for a minute inbetween."

"Let's deal with the fallen first lad, he deserves more respect than those two." Their mumbling can be heard drifting down from the tree top. "Georgie, grab their weapons. Sam, Paul, get the tarp ready, please."

After the two guards, who looked like they could be brothers and were likely related to Maddie had gotten the tarp in place. I cast the spell. "Plantshape!" Releasing Rodrick's body and gently lowering it onto the tarp, before restoring the tree. The guards eyes shone at the display, but the solemn duty quickly dampened their excitement.

"Just a minute and I can get them down." At Leonard's nod I sat down to recover while the guards dealt with the body. After just a moment, I stood again. "Ready? Plantshape!" The tree bent over and unceremoniously dumped the bandits onto the road.

"Cor!" Georgie gawped. "Wish I could do something like that."

"Not sure you'd care to pay the price I did." I said, with a thousand yard stare. Letting the enormity of the past day catch up to me. Thinking of all the times I died before getting a chance in this new world. Thinking of my old life. Of how I lost everything. I died. I may have gotten a second chance, but I still died.

"Like Maddie said, there's a story there. Care to share it?" Leonard asked with an understanding look in his eyes as he glanced at my tattoos.

Snapping out of my fugue at his words. I sit back down to recover my strength while his crew settle the prisoners and turn the carts about.

I nod at the guardsman. "I don't want to get into details, but I've lived my whole life in the woods." Technically true. "Mother was killed by wolves." Several of them were, in fact. "The markings came with the magic and I've been wandering the woods ever since, killing every wolf I've seen." I've only seen the one. "I can't go back home." Also true. Hell, not a single word was false, but it's still one whopper of a lie.

"Sorry about your mother lad...Sorrel. Let's get back to town, I'll set you up at the inn for tonight, and there'll be a nice reward for capturing those two." Leonard says, offering me a hand up.

"Thanks Leonard, I'd like that. Feels like several lifetimes since I've had a hot meal and a soft bed." There I go, telling the truth again.

A short, uneventful trip later finds us back at the town, as the gates opens, I see, propped in the doorway of the guard shack, the young woman I saved earlier. Silent tears start leaking from her eyes as she spots the linen wrapped body in the rear cart.

"Oh Rodrick, I'm so sorry." She breathes out, barely louder than a whisper. "You said we should wait for morning, but I was impatient to start off for the Capital." Maddie steps closer trying to comfort her, but the blonde waves her off. Staring at the trussed up bandits, her tears dry up, only to be replaced by a fiery look. Shifting her glare to me, she hisses out. "Why aren't they dead?"

Meeting her gaze, I reply. "They would have been, had I not heard their plans for you. Thought rotting in the mines would be a more suitable punishment than a quick death." Seeing a bit of fire in my own eyes, hers begin to cool. "I'm sorry for your loss and truly wish I could have gotten there in time to save him." At the mention of her brother the heat in her eyes fades entirely, seemingly taking her strength with it. Maddie closes in once more, supporting the girl before her legs give out.

"Come on lass, let's get you set down. Leonard and the boys will take care of everything." Maddie speaks gently while leading her charge back into the shack.

"Bad business this, but the lass is alive and free, and she'll recover given time. Thank the Gods that you were able to intervene."

'I would Leonard, I would. But, I never actually got his name.' I think to myself while giving the guard captain a nod.

"Come on Sorrel, the lock up is this way. If you could remove the bindings from those two after we get them behind bars, then I'll take you over to the inn and get you a room for the night. Maybe a spare shirt too." Leonard says that last bit with a smile.