I pulled my battered body up. While the level up started to heal my body, it did nothing for my broken bones at the moment, leaving me feeling more beaten up than ever since waking up here. It creaked and cracked all the way upwards till I finally reached the top, lifted me on even ground and rolled onto my back, staring at the sun.

I started to laugh like a madman, flames spreading around me over the nest and the tree. I beat it. I pushed myself upward again and started to walk over to the crane mother. Doesn’t look like I will have to fight her. She just sat there, as flames started to come near her. Her wings were only stubbles, her beak short and her body nearly round. She wasn’t born to fight, only to breed more of her kind.

Now, let’s see if this really works. I stepped closer, grabbing some of the white feathers and pulled them out. It elicited an outcry from the crane, accompanied by a shiver running through her body, but nothing else. System, spend three skill points in analyze skill-tree.

Analyze.

I pocketed the feathers and walked away, the fire starting to take over the area. Now, how do I get out of here? I ran through the nest, searching for a way to get out of it without roasting in my own flames. Makes me miss my burning form. Everything that wasn’t ripped apart or burned down already took flight, leaving me alone in this inferno.

As the fire and smoke started to get out of control, I finally found a way down on some still intact branch. I ran over it till I saw a vine, jumping at it and gliding down till it was even enough for me to run upon.

I hurried onwards, hearing the crackling of fire above me. Opposed to the climb upwards it was way easier this time as even the ants hurried away from the tree. When I reached the bottom I sprinted away, passing the corpse of the crane father. Then the tree started to break down, branches falling from above when the fire damaged it enough, smashing into the ground and making the earth rumble.

You’re telling me I’m an environmental hazard bastard? At least the effect is worth it. I walked back towards the area the tunnel was in, unhindered by beasts as the collapse took their attention. It took a while till I found it once more as calling out for Alice only would have led some beasts towards us.

“You’re back! Are you okay? There were some massive quakes a while ago.” She looked over worriedly as she saw me battered body and torn clothes.

“Nothing a night of rest wouldn’t fix.” I stepped inside, towards the girl lying further down. Sorry to keep you waiting. In the short time I was gone the poison spread even further. She trembled, sweat running down her cold body. But now that I was here, I noticed one problem, I had no idea how to administer the cure.

Okay, let’s think about it. I brushed my hand over the feather, its barbs hard and dry. Doubt it has magical potencies so there’s just one way. “Hey Alice, give me your sword for a minute.”

Although I confused her a little bit, I soon got the sword from her. Can’t believe I forgot a knife. I cut into the shaft, seeing a milky liquid run outwards. There it is. “The bottle of water in the backpack.” I held my hand out sideways, careful not to lose some of the precious liquid in the barb. Soon I felt the bottle in my hands, opening it and pouring most of the water out, before squeezing the liquid inside, one feather at a time.

A short moment later I was done, lifting the girl’s upper body to make her drink some of it. Given that she was unconscious I had to be careful how to, otherwise I would just end her now by drowning. Please be alright. I let out a sigh when I laid her down once more.

Seeing how I finished Alice spoke out behind me. “Will she be alright?”

“Time will tell. The poison already passed through her whole body so I fear that even if that cured her there will be some aftermaths.”

A moment of silence passed, before Alice spoke again. “Thanks for trying to help her. You didn’t have to and even took on all the dangers by yourself.” A sad smile run showed on her face.

Didn’t have to, huh… “Let me tell you a story.”

Alice looked a bit confused at my sudden change in topic, but still waited for me to continue.

“It was inside a dungeon just like this. He met a young woman, running through it like she owned it as she fought against the monster, wielding one gun in each hand, putting bullets in their heads or hearts. They were wary of each other at first, but soon fought together against the atrocities.

But it happened like it always happened. After one fight the man broke down, wounded from the fight. But opposed to the other fights his wound didn’t heal, festering as fever spread throughout his body. They looked for something to heal him with, a cure, the woman supporting the man on the way, until he couldn’t continue anymore.

She told him to wait, leaving him alone as she continued onwards. It didn’t take long for him to despair, unable to move through the fever, waiting for her.”

“Did she save him?”

“That she did. As the fever took over, he lost all sense of time until one day he began to wake up again. She told him about a realm above the skies where she fought against the messengers of death to find a princess clad in white who gave her the cure.”

As I stopped speaking Alice looked at me questioningly. “That’s it? No happy ever after?”

I chuckled at her questions. “Would it make you happier if?”

“You bet. You really suck at telling stories otherwise.” She started to giggle.

“Then let’s make it so. After he was healed, they got together and lived happily ever after.”

“Okay, you still suck. The true beginning of a story is the love story. It’s not a note at the end.” She started to bicker, but her voice showed a clear uplift in her mood.

Shouldn’t tell her the true end. How the man lost his first partner.