The hill was quickly approaching as they flew towards it at a moderate speed. The people on the hill were confused when they saw a human-sized bird flying towards them.

 

 “I will fly back by here every few days to see if you have returned with my fruit. I wish you all the luck in the world for the sake of those who came here with you. It appears they have come into contact with some of the local life.” The crow banks and circles around the hill showing the state of the hill.

 

There is now a small makeshift camp being built. A few fires offering rolling columns of smoke to the sky. Offset from that is a collection of people laying on the ground. Something was obviously wrong. The songs of pain could be heard wringing from their mouths. 

 

The crow landed and allowed X to dismount before taking to the sky again. When X finished watching the crow fly off he turned to see a familiar Umber brown-skinned woman with long curly hair waiting for him. 

 

“Elana?” X asked.

 

“I honestly never expected to see you come back alive. I am glad you are tho, we have lost too many people already.” Her tone and facial expression were somber.

 

“What do you mean? Was there an accident while scouting the forest?” X didn’t understand how something bad could happen when the scouting was going so well.

 

“No, it wasn’t the scouting group. While we were out the small green men came and attacked the people left on the hill. Somehow they were able to make the small green men retreat, but a few people lost their lives, and a few others were really seriously injured. My boyfriend is currently trying to see how he can help them with his medical background.” Elana gave X a second to take everything in.

 

X sighed. “I really didn’t know that anything like this would happen. I just thought it was a harmless book. My parents never told me why they were searching for it, or what it was even about. I just knew the title. I never knew this would cause so much to happen, and I definitely didn’t think it would cause people to die…. ” X paused for a second. “I am sorry.”

 

“Well look at it this way, you didn’t know. How could it be your fault? Did your parents ever say anything at all about it?” She knew how single-minded some parents could be.

 

“The only thing they ever told me during our search was that it was worth it and that the knowledge inside would change the world. We have been searching for all of my life. Different countries, jungles, oceans, and even in a volcano once. One day both of my parents went missing, and I was just left with a note that said ‘the search must not end’ in my father’s native language. ” It was X’s turn to become somber. He really missed his mother and father. They were some of the only constant things in his life. Were they okay? Were they missing him? When would he see them again?

 

Elana sensing the change in mood decided to change the subject. “So you flew away on the back of an oversized gothic chicken and lived to tell the tale. What did it want?

 

X chuckled a bit at her joke. “It wanted me to collect a single fruit from this thing called the Tree of the Garden.”

 

Elana’s disbelief was visible. “You mean to tell me he stalked us and kidnapped you just for a piece of damn fruit? Ain’t he a bird? Why can’t he just fly up to it and pick it his own damn self?”

 

“It has something to do with the laws of this world. Beings from this world apparently can’t touch the tree, however, since we are from another world we are not bound by those same rules. Also, this fruit is supposed to grant him some kind of power that would also let him transport us home.” X sat down on the ground and crossed his legs.

 

“So how do we get this fruit so we can go home? Also, why do we trust this Crow guy?” She sat down next to him.

 

“Wait, why do you trust me?” X spat the question out.

 

“Because you wear your heart on your sleeve. I am also an excellent judge of character. Besides, you don’t seem like you have many friends, and if I have learned anything from watching nerdy movies with Zack is that friends make carrying a ring an impossible distance achievable.” She stated all of this matter of factly.

 

X was slightly confused at the reference but was grateful that she counted herself as his friend. Suddenly a notification popped up.

 

*System Alert*

 

Would you like to invite this person to your Party?

 

<Yes/No>

 

X remembered the message that he read while he was in the Seer’s tree hut. ‘If I want to get everyone that I can back alive I am going to need all the help I can get.’ X stood up feeling inspiration welling inside of himself. “Elana, will you help me get everyone back to the school and out of this place?” 

 

Elana was kind of surprised at the suddenness of X standing up. “I would rather not die here to little green men. Hell yeah, I am gonna help you!”

 

After saying that another notification popped up.

 

*System Alert*

 

A new Party member has joined you.

Elana (Rogue class)

 

Elana stared in disbelief. “Is this some kind of video game? Why am I the Rogue class?!”

 

Another system alert popped up, this time it was information about classes.

 

*System Alert*

 

Classes are chosen for the character based on the stats they have developed through life. One must have at least 4 stat points in the governing stat of the class in order to obtain the class.

 

Rogue class: Requires a 4 in Dexterity to be selected.

 

She got closer to X so she could see the screen a bit more clearly. “This is strange, and I lowkey hope this is a dream. Can you show me the rest of my stats?”

 

X searched around his menu screen for a second. He quickly spotted the party button. There it showed the two of their names. X had a moment of internal panic when he saw that it showed others his full name. But when Elana did react to seeing it he relaxed a bit. “Here it is.” He selected her name in his mind, and then her status sheet appeared.

 

Name: Elana Jackson______________________HP: 10

Class: Rogue   ____________________________MP:  10

Level 1 ___________________________________ST:  20

EXP 0/100 

(?)Hint

Durability __________  1 +

Strength  ___________ 1 +

Dexterity _________ 4 +

Wisdom _________  2 +

Intelligence _______ 3 +

Luck_____________ 35 +

 

X took a second to explain how each stat affected things.

“Since I can improve one of my stats, what do you think I should improve?” She asked. She has played a few games with Zack in the past, but none of those games involved upgrading individual stat points. Even further beyond that what if she limits her capability by picking the wrong stat.

 

“Well, maybe we can get a bit more information about your class to see what the best way to build it is.” He looked around the system a bit more before going back to her status screen. Then he found what he was looking for, the skills tab. Just like in most video games, a skill tree took up the majority of the screen under this tab. All of the tabs with the exception of two were blank. The two nonblank ones were greyed out. The skills were Sneak and Steal. X examined each one of them closer.

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Sneak: This skill allows the user to go unseen. The higher the dex stat of the user, the lower the chances of the user being caught. 

 

Pickpocket: This skill allows the user to attempt to take an object from a target of their choosing. The taken object will be chosen at random. The chances of success are based on the user’s dex stat.

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Elana chimed in, “So it appears that I need to level up my dexterity for now.” 

 

“That would definitely help with the two skills you currently have.” X went back to the base status menu for Elana and placed a point in Dexterity. When this happened her stamina increased by 5 points.

 

Elana felt a tingling feeling in her body as the experience point was put in. “That felt strange, but also really good at the same time. Almost like when someone scratches the spot you can’t reach on your back. I wonder what class Darius and Zack would get? Can we go and see?”

 

X was hesitant. ‘What if they aren’t as accepting as Elana. At the same time, Zack’s medical experience would be nice to have on this task.’ With that train of thought, X decided it was worth it to try. He could use as much help as he could get. “Yeah, let’s check it out and see what they say.”