Alex ducked low, dodging his leaping foe. He stood up, ramming his wooden spear forwards, penetrating its neck. With a roar, the teenager toppled his enemy. Boot pressed against its head, he pulled the weapon back and stabbed deep. Shuddering, the animal finally gave up and stilled. Alex watched for his companions. Lisa at the back, inching forward, to put her hand against Philips back. The other boy was stepping back, levelling his spear against the charging enemy.

A few moments later, he finished his opponent and went back to his friends. “Thanks Alex! If you hadn’t been there, the flanking chicken would have gotten me…” “No probs, Phil. That’s why I’m here,” the Hunter grinned back. Lisa meanwhile was healing both boys with a palm on each ones skin.

“Derek, Mary, you can come back. We got them!” Lisa called. “Four at once,” Derek laughed, “You got better, Phil.” “It wasn’t just me, but you’re right. With my level ups, its easier to fight,” the older boy answered, “Thanks Alex, without you coaching us, we wouldn’t have gotten that strong.”

Alex shrugged, “Again, no problem. You helped me with my leg, I just paid it back.” The [shadowblade] examined their prey. Four large chickens, one and a half time bigger than the ones he had slain a few days prior. The system message proclaimed them level six, and Alex gulped. He wasn’t sure if he would have won the fight, if he had been alone.

“Do you think we can butcher them right here? Or should we continue and look for more beasts? I wanna get to level five as soon as possible,” Alex said. “If we’re fast, we could get a few pounds of chicken for later. Lisa, can you cool them down with your water seed?” Philip asked. Lisa shrugged, “possibly. I am not sure if it works that way, but we can try…”

A few minutes later, the group continued their trek along the forests edge. It was mostly safe and while the beasts got bigger and bigger, with two Hunters and One Defender slash Healer, the fights were almost easy. Of course Derek and Mary had to be protected, as they wanted to follow the group. Derek had no problem staying at the hut, but the younger girl threw a tantrum, as soon as Lisa left their home.

Leaving the healer at home was the height of all folly, so the group decided more or less unanimously to hunt together. Added benefit was, that Derek could collect his own crafting materials and he helped himself to a huge amount of feathers, claws and beaks. The boy wasn’t sure, if he could craft something useful, but every bit helped with his experience and he earned essence, even for unsuccessful tries.

Alex thought back to the last few days. He had thrown nearly all his refined essence to his level and dumped the rest into [shadowweapon]. He got to level four, but the skill didn’t evolve yet. Hopefully it would soon, as Alex was curious what Tier 2 could do. While his throwing training was still in its baby shoes and he had gained only a few inches, his expertise with the spear grew by leagues. He and Phil had some friendly rivalry and while Phil was still a bit better, Alex shoved it to the other boys maturity.

Lost in thought, he nearly missed Philip's shout. The teenager had found something. Alex followed him to a formerly beautiful country house. One could vaguely discern its glassy front. Washed out art painted around the closed wooden door and to the sides, were ivy, overgrowing the whole house. Phil shook Alex from his marvelling and pointed to a few boot tracks, visible in the loose earth.

“They don’t look too old. Do you think someone lives here?” Alex nodded. “Probably. They could have picked worse. Despite its looks, the ivy probably holds the roof up and it should be safe. Maybe we can move in, if we find the group living here.” Both boys waited for the rest of the group and they discussed their idea.

“Let’s leave, please. It’s creepy here,” Mary whined suddenly. “Yeah, Let’s,” Derek added, “Something doesn’t feel right here. It’s too silent here. No birds or other critters to hear…” As soon as he said that, Alex remembered an almost forgotten passage in a book he once read. If a forest falls silent, a predator is near.

“Quick, we need something solid at our backs. Something is here, something bad!” He whispered. Philip took lead and brought the group back to the outskirts of the city. It were just a few dozen meters, but the difference was enormous. Life came back and the group of teenager could breathe easier. The danger was gone, and whatever it was, it probably hadn’t noticed them.

“We should stay away from that house. While it looks nice and secure, its probably home to something nasty.” Lisa said. The others nodded, still somewhat cowed. “We still need more essence, and stuff we can sell at the trader. If we stay weak, while everything else grows stronger, we won’t have long, until we’re caught.” Alex reminded the group. His goal was to grow strong enough to have an easy life. He didn’t want to have to hunt and risk his life and health every day.

Philip nodded, he could understand the other boy and since he wanted to protect his people, he too couldn’t stay weak. “He is right,” the boy added, “and maybe we’ll be lucky and find an essence for Mary.” He knew, he could convince Lisa that way. And more successful hunts would mean more loot and crafting materials for Derek.

Finally the two hunters persuaded the other teenagers. Mary would follow Lisa everywhere, so as soon as the older girl was convinced, the other complied. The group gave a wide berth to the Landhouse and edged closer to the forest. The prey was more numerous and easier to hunt there. Soon they had fallen back to their effective formation. Mary and Derek trailed at the back, closely followed by Lisa. Philip more or less protected the three while Alex played the scout.

He was near invisible in the twilight, that was the edge. Shadow and Light alternated near the forest and with his different Skills, the Shadowblade could easily sniff out prey, and shoo it to the group. Of course the essence they gained was split between the three main actors. Sometimes, they crippled a beast, so Derek could get the last hit, but either he didn’t do much damage, or some deeper functions of the system were at work. The younger boy didn’t earn that much.

A few hours later the group gathered for a rest. They had been pretty lucky and a quick glance revealed, that Alex had gained a few more coins and unrefined essence. ‘I have to remember to refine it before going to sleep, tonight’ the youth thought. It was too much to outright loose it.

Name: Alex Braff

Essence: Shadow (M)

Class: Shadowblade

Level: 4

Coins: 130

Unrefined Essence: 550

Attributes:

Free: 0

Constitution: 7

Strength: 8

Dexterity: 11

Agility: 12

Intelligence: 6

Willpower: 6

‘Maybe that’s enough for another level?’ Alex thought. He quit the character screen and concentrated on his meal. Later and when safely behind the wooden walls of the hut, was a better time to ponder his gains and where to spend them.

“Shh, I think something is out there. I heard some rustling in the bushes to our right.” Derek suddenly said. Alex and Philip grabbed their weapons, while Lisa pulled Mary behind her back. Derek grabbed a slightly burned branch from their firepit and stood besides Lisa. The teenagers were at full attention.

Clap Clap Clap

“Well done boy!” Someone called from behind the shrubs. “Now lay down your weapons, you’re surrounded,” the voice continued. Slowly four girls and two boys stepped out of the bushes. The two boys ran to the sides of the group, completely surrounding them. Surprised, the others didn’t move. Alex debated casting [shadowcloak] but he decided to wait and see what the group wanted.

The oldest girl, probably around 18 or 19, continued her way, until she stood right in front of Philip. “I said drop your weapons, or this will get ugly.” Philip threw a quick look back at Lisa and Derek and the older girl nodded slowly. Her eyes were saying, ‘Do as she wants’.

With a snort, he dropped his wooden spear. The girl quickly kicked it to the side, and concentrated on Alex. “You too, sweety,” she grinned predatorily. Alex didn’t move. “What do you want with us? We can share our meal, and Derek can make you some spears too, if you need them.”

The younger boy coughed indignantly, but otherwise stayed silent. “We want everything. Your weapons, your stuff, everything you have. And then you’re gonna tell us how you could hunt so much,” one of the boys yelled. Suddenly Alex perked up. They didn’t know how to level.

Before he could tell the others, Lisa began talking, “You have to refine …,” Alex quickly shushed her. But the damage was done. The four girls advanced and were nearly in striking distance to Philip, who was weaponless. The girls held wooden clubs, enough to seriously hurt the teenager. One of the boys moved to Alex, club raised, but the shadowblade was faster.

With a swing of the spears back, he disarmed his attacker, jumped forward, conjured his [shadowdagger] and pressed it to the throat of the teenager. “Don’t move!” Alex cried out. Lisa shrieked, Mary began to wail and Philip conjured two balls of fire. He quickly threw one in front of the girls, the other ball still raised. Derek scrambled for his dropped spear.

The group of attackers instantly stopped their advance. “You don’t dare,” one of the girls pressed between her teeth. “Don’t try me,” Alex coldly said. He wouldn’t give them anything. He would have helped as far as possible, but being robbed by some level zeroes was beneath his tolerance limit. “Alex,” Lisa implored, “Please don’t. Let’s just give them our stuff. It isn’t worth a fight, and you don’t want to be a murderer, do you?”

But he shook his head. Never again would he be pressured to do something he didn’t want to. Flashbacks to his darker times with Jones threatened to overwhelm the teenager. He pressed the dagger stronger and a drop of blood dripped to the floor. “Leave us. Now!” He yelled.

The oldest girl hissed, but complied after a moments hesitation. The group of five slowly moved backwards, and Alex let the other boy go. He suddenly turned to Lisa, rage burning in his eyes. “Don’t you dare speak for me again. You decide your actions for yourself, same for me!” Frightened, the teenager took a step back, Mary still held behind her.

Philip carefully stepped besides Alex and laid a appeasing hand on his upper arm. “Nobody speaks for you. She was afraid for Mary. Please Alex, calm down.” Alex huffed, but dismissed his weapons. He hadn’t noticed, that he had conjured another one.

“Sorry…I don’t…I don’t know what happened, but they made me so angry…” Alex said wearily. “I would have helped them, shared my meal, showed them how to level up and everything.” “I know you would have…” Philip answered, “and I think I understand you. But still…You’re not alone anymore and have to think about the rest of the group too. You are the strongest of us, what would have happened, if they had hurt Mary? What if they had injured Lisa, our only healer? Or Derek? He is nearly defenceless.”

Alex nodded dejectedly. Philip was right. But still. Why didn’t they try to talk first? Why robbing them, when they would gain so much more through teamwork. They were the same as Jones. Instead of working together, he overpowered the other orphans and made them work for his gains only. Alex shuddered. What would have happened, if he was found by Jones and not Andrej? What would the older orphan do, once he knew, Alex was still alive?

Again, Alex strengthened his resolve. He would become stronger! He wouldn’t be cowed or used by anybody anymore! The teenager was violently wrenched from his dark thoughts, as Lisa shoulder checked him while overtaking. “Watch your back Alex, I won’t tolerate someone endangering Mary. You won’t hurt us or her through your unchecked violence. Understood?”