"It's bullshit."

"What kind of tutorial kills most of its players?" Artie complained.

Sebastian walked next to him quietly, nodding with his arms behind his neck. Ahead, Mayumi led Rachel's horse while she steadily walked and stretched her healing legs. The terrain they crossed was relatively flat but only looked to grow more adverse onward. Their rocky path would soon steadily rise and shift into hills and treacherous steep mountains.

"Hmm," Mayumi sounded.

Artie and Sebastian curiously turned to her and, once she noticed, justified her dubious sound.

"I agree; it's ludicrous. But it also appears intentional."

"Yea, it was intentionally designed to screw us over," Remarked Artie.

Mayumi slowly shook her head and pressed on, discounting his opinion.

"The Ai's warning must be a feature of its design."

"That tells us it's been operational and fulfilling its duty," continued the woman.

"It's duty? Yea, it's been doing such a great job of following that," scoffed Artie, waving his hand across the tremendous fictional scenery.

"That's not what I'm getting at," sighed Mayumi.

"Maybe it malfunctioned on the first day then repaired itself?" Guessed Harvey.

"I don't think so," opposed Rachel.

"The logic is twisted, but the Ai fulfilled its core function of creating an earth that's less likely to collapse."

"You can't be serious?" Frowned Artie.

The group slowed their pace to match Rachel, who'd continued to take light steps across the path. As the most knowledgeable on the subject of Ai, they waited for further explanation.

"It's a fact that overpopulation largely contributed to Earth's destruction."

"Naturally, it would correct any risk that could jeopardize its mission."

Finding himself uncomfortable with the woman's lack of empathy, Artie slowed even more behind the pack. He felt it was the only way to separate himself and not snap.

"The land provides, but it also takes…." Muttered Harvey.

Uneasy attention shifted from Rachel to Harvey, who looked forlornly at the scattered moss growing from the ground.

"We took advantage of Earth's generosity. Taking without giving anything in return, and now we're being punished."

"But, all those people!" Laria shouted at Harvey.

"They weren't all bad, especially not my father; he did everything he could to save the earth but still-"

She suppressed the sentiment that began to overrun and then turned her sights away. Harvey earnestly apologized, but the walk fell quiet for some time.

"Things were so busy before that we didn't have time to build a memorial. Once we get back, we should use our status to get it done." Insisted Sebastian.

"Mhm, we've already discovered so much," added Laria, holding her closed fist to her chest."

Harvey agreed to the idea, then the group spent a portion of their time discussing the details before nearing the path's end.

 

<>

 

The sun was still high in the pastel sky, and the party remained intent on continuing their journey through the mysterious lands.

Artie had remained at the back, while Mayumi and Sebastian were first to arrive on the mainland. Within a minute, everyone had taken the first step onto the vast rocky land. Right away, they felt a bizarre, consistent tremor on the Earth. It was too subtle to be an earthquake, but the lingering shaking was reason to worry.

Mayumi disallowed anyone to continue and consulted Harvey about any possible causes. There was no need because before the man could share his speculations, the deep rumbling sound intensified along with the tremors. While they could all feel and hear it, Artie detected that it'd begun to travel; and fast.

"Get back!" He yelled.

Without time to prepare, the ground shook to the degree that they could barely stand upright. Then, a giant stone claw was unearthed several yards away. Rocks exploded from the exit point, obscuring whatever dug its way out.

As it cleared, they could spot it; A new creature. This one stood on two short legs, had two lengthy wide arms that reached the ground, and was covered in armor-like stone. It looked like a gray baboon and stood nearly twice as tall as them while smiling crookedly.

Even after its arrival, the vibrations didn't cease. More rumbling grew near, and six more notable figures appeared behind the rocky creature, leaving gigantic holes where they exited the ground.

With a mighty pound to its rock-covered chest, the nearest monster hollered and jumped in place. Following the commotion, its companions also became riled up and began to strike their chests while loudly grunting like monkeys.

Sebastian gradually backed away to take a position ahead of the non-fighters. At the same time, Mayumi advanced to the front with Artie.

"We don't know what we're up against, so be prepared to pull back," shouted Mayumi, holding her fist up deliberately and cautiously approaching the things that obstructed their way.

The first large, hunched-over creature boldly strolled toward her. Artie was determined to have her back and began after the woman. When he did, a second ape-like monster hurdled onto the field. It matched his pace and even sped up or stopped moving when he did.

"Are they mimicking us?"

"Or maybe they're going to battle with the same number of fighters…."

While facing ahead, Mayumi requested Artie to restrain himself from aiding, likely because she also noticed the creature's mirrored motions. Though conflicted, he heeded her appeal and stood back.

Mayumi stretched out her hand, then clenched it tightly before charging at the sizeable monster. Her back was straight, steps equal spacing apart, and her fist strategically positioned in front of her face and chest for defense.

Unlike the woman's harmonious and elegant stride, the creature bolted forward wildly, flailing its broad arms and screeching. The monster arrived, pulled back its hand, then rocketed its sharp stone claw at Mayumi. The attack came quick, but her calm demeanor didn't waiver. She invaded inward by rushing into the monster's chest. Once at point-blank range, the woman yanked her left arm down, then pithily yelled as she exploded her fist up, directly into the rocky creature's lower jaw.

"It connected!" Laria erupted.

Artie watched the monster's head jerk upward from the powerful uppercut. While a considerable portion of its body was covered in stone armor, its lower jaw and face were exposed.

"Is it done?"

 

OOU OOU!

Screeching and shrieking erupted from the identical creatures on the sideline. They pounded their chest and jumped about in what looked like laughter.

In an instant, the baboon-like monster flung its solid head from an upward position toward Mayumi. The woman skipped to the right of its headbutt and then quickly threw a fierce right hook at its jaw. However, her right arm was not armed with a stone gauntlet like her left. The attack had even less impact than the first, and the monster resumed its offensive.

The opponent commenced an onslaught of strikes while shouting obnoxiously. Each powerful swipe created audible cuts in the wind as it continually swung its long arms. With every attempted assault, Mayumi evaded and delivered a blow of her own.

From Artie's point of view, it looked as if the monster should have been losing, but it wasn't. Even though it missed every blow, the damage Mayumi dealt was too insignificant for it to fall. Yet, Mayumi remained within striking range of the creature the entire time. When the monster punched straight, she'd maneuver to the left or right and thrash her fist into its face. When it tried to sweep its claws at her head, she'd fluently duck below and crash her fist into its jaw.

Blow after blow, she didn't pull a single punch while trying to wither away at her enemy. But, after countless successive stikes, she started to tire. Her movements became dull, and each of the creature's attacks came closer and began to graze her.

"She can't win."

A hardy Woosh sounded as its massive claw tore past Mayumi. She scarcely avoided the strike, stumbling back while sweating beads and breathing laboriously. It was then that the odds shifted even more. Because of the creature's considerable body size, Mayumi had the advantage up close where it couldn't utilize its extensive range. But after she stepped back, the assault only became much worse. The long-armed creature grew even more aggressive, hollering as it started to assail the ground and send debris flying up. Mayumi sheltered her face from rugged fragments, and that's when the monster outreached its enormous hand and swatted her away like a pest.

Artie grew wide-eyed as he watched Mayumi barrel across the rugged terrain and paint a trail of blood. There was a gasp behind him, and he heard Harvey yell out her name in concern.

"Ears!" Sebastian called out, racing past while loading an arrow.

"Right behind you!" Artie shouted back, gripping his spear and darting after.

They rushed to where Mayumi had fallen, and unfortunately, so did the monster she battled. In addition, the moment Sebastian and Artie moved, two more of the ape creatures bolted from their standpoints and joined the fray.

With a sharp shriek, Mayumi's initial opponent raised its lethal claw and charged to finish the job. Sebastian, who'd been quicker, dashed ahead to intercept. Artie could hear the approaching dash of the two new foes and hurriedly turned to thwart them.

Sliding to a halt, Artie bore his fangs at the incoming monsters while holding the spear outward with both hands.

"Sebastian can take care of her. Right now, I need to stop these two."

Neither of the creatures slowed or paid much mind to him. They galloped on their legs and arms, grunting as they shook the ground with each stomp. Their smirks and unconcern for him were inflaming; what's more, he found that he'd stopped right along the line of blood Mayumi dripped as she was flung meters across the Earth.

Losing nerve, Artie stomped one foot far in front of the other, drew back the spear, and hurled it toward the nearing monsters. The weapons course was true despite his lack of throwing experience. It collided with the belly of one of the creatures, snapped at the point, then was brushed away as if it'd never existed. At the same time, he heard arrows launch before Sebastian suddenly groaned, followed by the sound of a body harshly slamming onto the ground.

"Sebastian!?" Artie roared, turning to observe the fruitless result of the man's rescue.

He'd weakly begun to ascend onto his knees several feet away from Mayumi's still body. The aggressor pounded the floor with one arm before pivoting from Sebastian to Mayumi, stepping menacingly toward her.

Terrified and shaky, Artie forced himself onward without a second to think. He ran desperately as the creature arrived at the woman and eerily reached for her with its fiendish hand.

"Don't touch her!" Artie yelled, rage robbing his rationality.

["Stay away from her!"] Echoed a familiar voice in Artie's head. Along with it were the deplorable memories of a capable man strangling him.

A slight buzzing chimed in his brain, muting the sounds on the field. For a moment, he found clarity and remembered the brawny man named Ryu and the comparable line he yelled at him. He still hated the man but started to understand his sentiments. The uncontrollable emotion that comes with wanting to protect someone he admired.

"Dammit"

The collection of dismal emotions that Artie harbored in his gut mixed, then rose upward through his veins. Just as the two monsters were within reach, he leaned far backward, covered his ears, then peered at the pastel sky as a spark of light emitted from his horns. A blustering boom followed, and erratic strings of blinding electricity purged themselves from Artie's core and struck the two creatures. His attack was unselective and zapped the Earth along with anything within his immediate range.

As the storm settled, Artie collapsed onto his knees and gazed onward at Mayumi and the monster that halted to shade its eyes.

"Heh," breathed Artie. His eyes flickered as he made out Sebastian sneaking behind the blinded creature with a dagger in his hand.

Severely light-headed, Artie fell onto his stomach. He could still sense the two enemies behind him, but they moved uneasily, stomping around without direction. Seconds later, a gushing noise traveled to his ears, and he smiled at Sebastian's likely success in killing one of the creatures.

As he began to lose consciousness, a second thunderclap shook the forest where they'd traveled from. He knew from past experiences what it meant. Then, sure enough, a ferocious gust of wind broke through the trees and emerged on the rocky setting.

"Back for a rematch?" Artie mumbled, half of his face was planted on the floor, but he managed to muster a flippant smirk.

Those words he uttered didn't agree with the panic in his heart, but they conformed with his resolve to endure any hardship.

Faint growling accompanied him as he completely fell limp, then blacked out amidst the peril. Even though a formidable beast had appeared, Artie had the notion that he'd wake up again; somehow, sometime, and somewhere on that abhorred planet.