After I left the forest I was filled with hope. I was no longer in the middle of a green hell, and was now on huge plains.

My great expectations were soon changed with despair, as I realised that I spent many hours just walking. The aerial recon too did not reassure me with finding anything but endless plains I was crossing now.

I hurried myself to cover as much distance as possible.

Since there is a road, there ought to be some sort of a settlement on the other end of it, and I am going to reach it sooner or later.

My recon unit is already on its way back home (to me), and it will spend some time refueling and preparing for the next sortie. As I found out, the aircraft don't just spawn all armed and ready, and need quite some time to just take off after summoning.

While I land and launch the aircraft, I either have to move against the wind, or remain stationary. Currently the wind is following, so I would have to spend some time just standing. And for this reason I wished to cover as much distance as possible.

On my way, I saw something ahead.

It was a small shack in the middle of nowhere. When I approached it, I was very surprised.

[What a great shack. It can even protect from wind coming from one side.]

I looked at a single wall of a ruin. After a quick look-around I even found a couple silver coins. Lucky me?

The help I received from my guardian deity I hurried to compensate by a short prayer.

At that time the aircraft returned, and landed. While they were taxiing and refueling, I continued moving.

---

30 minutes after I sent the recon another time, I received a report of an unknown group of people.

The fighters were already returning from the sortie, but I made one of them stay above the group to provide me with data.

I currently knew only that the closest humans from me were 17 kilometers away, and I will have to hurry to catch up with them.

We spent hours moving together, though they never knew I was following them. When I was just a couple kilometers behind them, and I even was seeing my poor fighter flapping its wings in desperation, the group of humans was attacked by some kind of beasts.

Even though I was somewhat close, I hesitated to help.

[I only will get myself killed. But I can spend this time with a benefit. Watching them fight may give me some insights.]

I watched how a horde of beasts surrounded, and killed the humans. The people never stood a chance, but fought until the end.

The horde ran ahead, leaving the path open for me.

'Clapping'

[Well, that was quite a show. A pity I didn't see some combat magic, and AOE spells.]

While I was passing by the dead ones, at the back of my mind I considered looting, but I quickly discarded that idea. It is way too disrespectful.

I was not exactly feeling guilty: I did nothing to save them, but I couldn't even if I was there. I was just a bit late to arrive, nothing else.

---

It was already another night, and my path was lit only by the moonlight.

It was somewhat highlighted by the recon sorties I did, and they never found anything noteworthy.

I almost completely relaxed, until I got a premonition.

I immediately jumped into a ditch, and held my breath.

'Hraaa!'

Something rushed down the road, and disappeared in the darkness.

Lucky me, whatever it was - it didn't notice me.

An hour later I saw something on the road.

I cautiously approached, and saw that everywhere on the ground around me is dried blood. What I noticed on the road was one of the beasts, sleeping.

It appeared to be similar to a large dog, but with small spikes on its back. It's appearance reminded me of demo...

'Rrawr!'

[Oh, great, I'm noticed... Luck, where were you...?]

Whatever could cause noise will draw attention here, literally blocking all of my arsenal from being used.

While the beast was somewhat sleepy, I charged at it with the naginata. It dodged to a side, and almost bit my hand.

I decided to fall back, and hope that it will lose me in the chase.

I ran far away from the spot I encountered the beast but it never stopped chasing me. It was toying with me, but at some point it grew bored of me being its plaything.

"F*!" It bit my arm, and knocked me down with its weight.

The armor didn't save me this time, the bite got through my defenses and now I had a large bleeding wound.

Even though I managed to quickly free myself from it, the beast was still near, and ready to strike.

I was using the naginata to hold it away from myself by pointing the blade at it.

Several attempts later, the beast suddenly decided to charge at me. I managed to block its way, but the beast continued charging. It smashed into the blade, wounding itself.

While it was howling in pain, I counterattacked, and cut it in two.

After the beast was killed, I tried to bandage myself, with a piece of the monster's skin.

The blood-stained 'bandage' was a quick way to get myself infected with something, but I had no other choice. It stopped the bleeding, and the rest would be a history.

---

The dawn was approaching, and with the sky becoming brighter, I felt like I was very tired.

I already spent two nights without a sleep, and after a fight, I was clearly out of juice.

Despite that, I continued walking.

It took me several more hours to find another landmark. This time it was a small campsite. It was abandoned around a day ago.

Somehow, I had a good feeling about this place, and my sleeplessness also helped with making a quick decision to stay here for today.

I reignited the charred wood, hoping that the fire will scare off some beasts. Then I lied down near it, and covered myself with the tails.

The moment I closed my eyes, I fell asleep.

When I woke up, something was not right. 

[Why is this ground so… comfortable?

And why am I being hugged from behind?!]