Mackenzie

CW: brief descriptions of a panic attack

I didn’t hold onto my wisp form for very long. After all, Grams didn’t carry me to preserve my mana for me to just waste it while I’m out in an unknown environment. Dangerous creatures could be lurking about at any point. I’ll need my mana to murderize them if and when that happens. I was flying for a while before I realised that I had absolutely no idea where I was going, or where I could even go. Neither Grams nor Gramps had said anything, maybe they just didn’t want to influence me one way or another too much. Who knows with crazy ancient Fairies. Speaking of Fairies, I didn’t know we hatched from eggs! That was one heck of a shock, I don’t remember my.. hatching? And what was up with Grams mentioning how long I took? So rude, just throwing that into our goodbyes and telling me I’ve got to go. Now I know where I get annoying traits from. When I do it it’s fun, when Grams does it, it’s annoying because it’s about me! 

It was another 20 minutes before I realised that I still didn’t know where I was going, I had apparently been just weaving in and out of trees aimlessly. I noticed that it had gotten dark all of a sudden and I couldn’t help but frown. It wasn’t late enough to be this dark right? I couldn’t help but think before I opened my UI and saw the time. 3:57pm. Definitely not late enough. I looked around me and noticed that the darkness did not extend everywhere and in fact had a peculiar shape. With a startled gasp, I realised what it was. Rok! My brain screamed at me even as I started zig zagging violently, no sooner had I done that then with an incredibly loud screech, my would-be predator smashed through the relatively thin canopy that was above me. The Rok pulverised the thick branches in its way, like they weren’t even there, it’s talons just missing me by millimetres. I wasn’t out of danger yet, as with powerful flaps of its mighty wings, it stopped its descent in mere moments and with a loud boom of displaced air from its acceleration, was already heading my way with another loud screech before I could even think to put up any kind of defence. Unfortunately or maybe fortunately, the strong gust of wind that was kicked up from its abrupt change in direction also sent me tumbling through the air uncontrollably. I grimaced in pain as my breath got knocked out of me. A branch had seemed to come out of nowhere. Smashing into it at an angle, I cried out in confusion and fear as I spun even more violently than before. My HUD or heads up display was already flashing red with a steady warning tone. My life had already dropped to below 35% in seconds and that was from me hitting a tree branch just from the effect that the bird hunting me had on its environment. I managed to orient myself only to feel true terror as I look upon the giant bird with its wings outspread, black shiny feathers rippling in the air, beak open and talons out the front of its body bearing down on me. With seconds to spare, I flew up and over the Rok as fast as I could, just as its talons and beak closed shut with loud snapping noises where I had been moments ago. Its beak had attempted to swallow me whole when it’s talons failed to grasp me. Thankfully, or maybe not so thankfully as sometimes ignorance is bliss, I managed to inspect the massive creature trying to turn me into its pre-dinner snack. 

Giant Rok (Champion)

Power Level: ??? 

A native to the large mountainous regions often referred to as the Elder Fox Mountains, Giant Roks are formidable creatures and are known to travel great distances in order to find prey. 

Despair floods my mind as I was unable to see the Roks power level, that just confirmed what I had already guessed. I had zero chance against a foe this powerful and I struggled to come up with any plan that would save me. I didn’t think I could fight it without some more convenient boulders for me to use. I miss Boulder-Sensei. With the moment's grace that I had been given from the Rok, I gave the area around me a quick glance to see if there was anywhere to hide. Luckily having to turn its bulky body around in the confines of the forest gave me the moments respite I needed. I struggled to hold back my fear as I could see it wasn’t too hard for it to turn around and try to eat me again as the trees were fairly widespread. Plus it had already shown how little it cared for trees that got in its way. 

As I looked for somewhere to hide, I gasped in relief as I spotted a nearby tree to me had a hole dug out of the ground underneath some of its roots that were sticking up out of the ground. My wings hummed loudly as I flew as fast as I could towards what I hoped was my salvation and not my grave. I didn’t even stop to consider the possibility that another creature could be using the hole before me. Come on! Fly faster! I mentally shouted at myself as I neared my haven. I breathed a relieved sigh as I entered the hole. Thankfully it was empty, although it didn’t smell very pleasant as I scrunch my nose up at the smell of rotting vegetation and putrid water. I’d take this unpleasant smell any day of the week over becoming someone else’s snack. I pushed myself against the side that hid me the best from the entrance and tried to dim the light that all Fairies project. At times like this it seemed awfully bright. It dimmed a little bit but not as much as I’d like. I was considering bringing out one of my blankets to cover myself in when I heard loud flapping and an even louder thud, the earth shaking from the impact, right outside the entrance to my little hidey hole. The one that had zero other exits. I tried not to shout out from the terror I felt at that moment. It had somehow found me and I knew I was going to die. A piercing echoing screech sounded out from very close by and I tried to hold back a panic attack as icy cold dread pierced my heart and my hands felt cold and clammy. 

My heart was beating so hard and so fast I was surprised that I wasn’t vibrating and giving away my position. Although the Rok seemed to know where I was as a large beak suddenly pushed into the entrance, or at least tried to. It was too large to get very far in and I let out a slightly less nervous breath. I still wasn’t sure if it knew where I was or if it was just checking anywhere it thought was a likely hiding spot. Although I could have been giving it way too much credit. It didn’t seem to be able to get in and I could hole up in here for a while before I’d absolutely had to leave. I could hear it scrambling around outside, the odd occasional screech that seemed to get more and more frustrated as time wore on. The creature was persistent. Thankfully after what seemed like forever, it’s screeches slowly quietened as I heard it fly off, it’s giant wings loudly flapping as it left. I still waited, frozen in my spot against the wall, unable to move a muscle. I had just started relaxing a little bit, my breathing starting to even out when I heard it return, trying to catch me off guard. I instantly froze and held my breath. Sneaky bird, it’s definitely smarter than it looks. I’d almost be impressed with its sneakiness if it wasn’t trying to eat me. I wasn’t going to call it ‘clever girl’ right before - Chomp! It tucks in on an Azalea sized meal. I hope I taste awful if that happens, serve it right!. By the time that it had seemed to have actually finally definitely left, the sun was nearly down and it seemed that there was no reason for me to leave my relatively safe space and try to travel at night. That seemed like an incredibly stupid idea. I let out a relieved sigh and rolled both of my shoulders, they had started hurting from all the tension I had put them under. 

“Great.” I whispered to myself with yet another sigh. “Not even a full day and I was almost nearly turned into monster poop.” 

Sighing again, I pulled out my little nest and set it up in the furthest point I could fit it from the entrance. I ignored the way my hands were shaking that badly I could barely position my bed. I briefly considered finding something to block the entry way but couldn’t see anything suitable nor did I think anything I had in my inventory would work either. I hopped into my nest and pulled the leaf cover over it to increase my sneakiness. I lay down before realising I still had my armour on. Opening up my inventory tab, I selected every piece of item I was wearing and put it into my few remaining slots. It probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do out in the wild like this but I couldn’t care less at this point. I needed to feel comfortable and this was the only way I had available to me right now. I pulled a couple of glow fruits out and nibbled on them. I wasn’t particularly hungry right this minute but it was as much if not more something to do as it was to ease any hunger pangs. I couldn’t help but let out a massive yawn as tiredness all of a sudden hit me like a truck, my adrenaline had apparently finally run out. Within moments, I was drifting off to sleep. 

A cold and dark presence bore down on me silently, a shiver of fear shot through me. I couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything but stare at my own swiftly approaching death. The shadowy presence opened its sharp beak ready to swallow me whole - and let out a hissing growl. 

With a start I woke up shivering and with no clue where I was, and none of my family was with me. I heard that loud hissing growl again and realised it was coming from nearby. It was too dark, I couldn’t see any other light around me but the soft glow of my body. I saw the leaf above my head and everything that’s happened the past few days came rushing back to me, especially what happened with that Rok. My breathing quickened just like earlier as cold dread gripped my heart. I felt like I’d never be able to calm down at this rate. 

Get a grip Azalea, take some deep breaths. In and out, in and out. I breathed in and out slowly and after some time, my heartbeat began slowing its panic inducing pace and my body started relaxing as well. 

As my panic attack slowly passed a particularly strong shiver shook my whole body strong enough that my teeth rattled, as I realised that it was so very cold. I remembered having taken my clothes off then almost immediately falling asleep after having a small dinner. Not that my clothes would’ve protected me from the cold much anyway. Fairy barely got that cold and if it did at night, as it would very rarely do, fairy families would just huddle together for warmth. Some fairies with a suitable class might conjure something to produce warmth but those were rare skills for our kind. 

I recalled that I had packed 2 blankets with me and so with a quick thought, I opened up my inventory and pulled both out. Both blankets materialised from nothing onto my outstretched slightly shaky arms and were very quickly covering my still shivering body. The blankets were fairly soft but still a little scratchy on my bare skin. Can’t expect too much from a species that didn’t have anything more technologically advanced than knives. As with pretty much all things made in Fairy it was made from plants. This time from a plant that had really soft but oddly sturdy leaves. The leaves were individually torn into thin pieces lengthwise then torn again and again until you had what amounted to threads, which then was weaved into our undergarments and occasionally, thankfully, blankets. I was grateful for my grandparents' forethought in packing them. 

I snuggled under my blankets completely covered by them, rubbing my hands together to warm them up. Well, it's been an interesting first start to my adventure so far I must admit. I hadn’t even considered trying to fight back. I entirely forgot about my skills, not that there was much chance that they would have actually done anything to that Rok anyway. I heard that weird hissing growl again, followed by a squeal of pain then a crunching noise and finally silence and I shivered again despite myself. That shiver was from me being cold, not from fear of some large predator finding me hiding here. Definitely not. It was a long time before I could stop shivering and get back to sleep that night. 

Mackenzie

Well there you have it, the world is a far more dangerous place than Azalea had realised until now. I hope it wasn’t too hard for anyone to read, I’m wanting to entertain anyone who reads this after all. A bit of a shameless plug before I go, I have set up a patreon account and any support you’re willing and able to provide would be most welcome :) I’m going to be posting chapters earlier to anyone who joins. Until next time!