Arriving back in the clearing, Lee was still upset with himself. I need to do better. He did, he was becoming a liability again. After years of hospital visits, chemo, and needing assistance, he was done with it. It was his turn to help with what he’s been given.

Lee continues his thoughts while picking up sticks and leaves for kindling. I’m being too hard on myself. It’s been less than twenty-four hours and I am acting like I should be fine doing everything perfectly. I just need to progressively do better.

Deciding to try to be more proactive, Lee works his way over towards Neia and hands her the kindling while attempting to ask more questions. “Neia, I have the Identify skill, but feel like I don't use it often enough. Do you have advice?”

Neia, grabbing the kindling from Lee, proceeds to start another fire with a snap of her fingers. “You were scared.” She says once finished.

Stunned, Lee looks at her. Neia looks into the fire with a content expression. “Do not beat yourself up over not using your skills and abilities at every possible moment. You are mortal.” turning to Lee with her hands out.

Lee takes a few moments to understand what she wants. Quickly he takes the squaller steaks from his Hidden Cache and hands them over, then says. “I would still like advice. I need to adjust faster.”

Neia nods while skewering the squaller steaks and setting them up to cook. “Use it for truely new things and enemies in combat. I saw the look on your face when you realized you never identified the squaller. Next time, just use it while others are fighting it or you. It can save your life.”

Ruven walks into the clearing with Lee not even noticing he left. He walks up to the fire and says to Lee. “I am sorry for last night. I didn't mean to try to get information from you with your safety as your incentive.”

Lee, who wasn’t even bothered that much by what was said last night, readily accepted. “I accept your apology, thank you.” Sitting down with his Jackalope fur underneath him on the log. He begins to ask questions. “I have never been in combat. In my world, the worst most people would get in was a brawl. What are some methods you would recommend for a beginner?”

Ruven immediately replies without a second thought. “Spear. Simple, has range, cheap and effective.” Grabbing the steaks and handing them out.

Taking a bite, Lee thinks about what options he has. He realizes that fighting is going to happen, whether he likes it or not.

Neia, chimes in. “Have you looked at your stats and thought about what they might align with?” Taking a bite of steak she continues. “You mentioned a dexterity of eight, if your physical stats are low, I would consider looking at some distance options.”

Lee brings up his status.

Looking through he notices that all his physical stats are probably low. Neia called a dexterity of eight low. So he is assuming having sevens for his strength and constitution is also low. Debating on whether or not he should just tell Ruven and Neia his whole status page, he just decides to do it. They already know I'm level 1 and I have probably a fraction of the skills normal people have.

Lee says “I’m going to tell you my status page, there isn’t much on it. I would appreciate your help.” Lee verbally tells his status.

Ruven seems to be uncomfortable with hearing someone's full status, but Neia listens carefully. Once finished, Neia nods. “I would assume the average stats for a human is ten, your luck is at ten, and that’s generally a good indicator. Though it may be eight or nine, and you just so happen to be above average.” Finishing her steak and tosses the skewer in the fire and says. “We will leave now, we can continue this conversation as we travel.”

After a minute or two, they begin to make their way through the forests once more. Early in the morning the forest is a wonderful sight. Hearing the early birds and seeing the light from the sun send light-beams through the gaps in the low purple canopy, he is momentarily at a loss for words. Snapping out of his revelry, Lee continues the conversation. “How hard is it to learn magic?”

Neia in the front of the group once more, has a faint smile. “You’ve gotten one of the pieces for magic, Mana Sense is a skill not many are fortunate enough to have. Without it, most spells and sometimes skills are impossible to learn.” Weaving her way through the forest she continues. “You’ve seen me light some fires with mana, but that wasn’t a spell. That was Mana Manipulation. With Mana Manipulation you could make mana change types or interact with the environment, like creating a spark, or nudging objects.” She then moves a low hanging branch, bending it down slightly and making it get onto Lee’s path. Lee, who was watching his footing, didn't notice and walked right into it.

“Is there a method to unlock Mana Manipulation?” Lee asks while rubbing his forehead.

Neia says “The way most people obtain it is by creating your own spell.” Glancing back towards Lee she says “You’re still a bit far from that I’m afraid. You need to figure out which mana types you have affinities with first.”

Ruven cuts into the conversation, “Is this wise?” directing his question towards Neia while scanning the surroundings.

Niea stops and looks at him. “It is my choice.” Ruven looks conflicted, but quiets down again.

Suddenly his eyes go wide and he dashes forward towards Lee, knocking him towards the ground.

Not a moment later he hears a grunt, and sees a crude looking arrow sticking in Ruvens side. “Goblins!” Ruven shouts.

Neia, going from conversational guide, to the hard look of determination in the blink of an eye, dashes towards where the arrow came from.

Lee, now rising and pumping with adrenaline, looks at the direction she's heading, and sees four goblins.

Lee takes in the sight of the four goblins, roughly the same in appearance, they are nothing what he imagined them to look like. In Lee’s mind, goblins were small 3-4 foot tall cute but chaotic treasure gatherers. In reality they were 4-5 feet tall with bumpy green skin and horrible bright yellow eyes with small black beads for pupils, a mouth with pointed jagged teeth which resembled needles. They wore next to nothing, just a loincloth. Three of the goblins had pointed shaved down bones for weapons, the other had a makeshift bow. The one with the bow appeared to be female, the rancid and dirty looking cloth-band barely covering her bumpy chest.

Immediately Lee reaches for his belt knife and readies it, with a posture he is sure is wrong. Neia now finishing her charge, she targets the closest male goblins and grabs the two hilts on the blades on her waist, instantly her hands are extended. In a cross-like pattern the goblin is cut into four pieces.

Lee, not knowing what to do, decides to take a defensive position over Ruven. Scared to enter the fray and getting gutted by the bone daggers. Senses heightened with adrenaline he hears the sound of wind, an arrow flies right over his shoulder. Snapping his gaze towards the female goblin once more, he charges.

His fight or flight response decided to fight it seems. Running to get shot in the back did not see like a good idea.

Lee is roughly 20 feet away and sprinting forward towards the female goblin, the goblin knocks another arrow, once ready, fires again, this time hitting Lee in his thigh.

-20 HP

Lee, close now after taking the arrow, tackles the goblin to the ground. Not knowing what to do, he stabs the belt knife rapidly up and down as fast as he can. The goblin is screaming, smacking him with her fists and trying to bite on the arm stabbing her with the knife.

The goblin, deciding she can’t reach the knife arm, goes for the other and latches on. The needle-like, sharp jagged teeth penetrate his skin easily and Lee screams.

-32 HP

Lee, lost in the heat of battle and adrenaline, with eyes now closed, continues with the stabbing, hoping to take the goblin out before she does the same to him.

He feels something splatter on his face. Snapping his eyes opens he looks at the goblin. The head is gone, replaced by a sharpened spear of ice. Glancing around he tries to find the next threat, but all he sees is Neia coming towards him with Ruven limping alongside her.

Still in shock and still on top of the goblins corpse, he looks around the area, he spots the four pieces of a single goblin in a small pile and two others who appeared to be frozen and cut in two. Frost surrounding their fallen bodies and freezing the leaves and ground around.

In it’s own fucked up way, if you ignored the bodies, it was a beautiful sight. The colorful leaves almost looked like colorful solid crystal shards, contrasting beautifully with the white chilly ground.

A few moments later Neia and Ruven arrive next to him. Neia places her hand on his shoulder and he flinches. Pity in her eyes, Neia attempts to move him off the goblin.

Numbly, Lee follows along with what she wants. Still in shock he looks at his wounds. He can see the arrow in his thigh, as soon as he does he feels the pain from it. Feeling like a piece of hot iron was embedded into his legs he screams once more and suddenly yanks it free in a panic.

Seeing the text, Ruven looks at his HP.

What? Looking down at the injured forearm, he watches in disbelief as his wound slowly closes right before his eyes.

Looking up, he sees Neia and Ruven both staring at his arm. Not as surprised as him but still surprised non the less.

“Lee, can you heal Ruven?” Neia asks.

Slowly nodding, Lee reaches out to him. The arrow had been removed. All three watch as the small wound heals just by the act of Lee touching him.

Neia says. “I will loot the bodies.” Pausing before walking towards the corpses, “You did what you had to do Lee. We will talk more on the journey. Rest a little for now.”

Moving away from the bloody and frozen area with Ruven, Lee sits down by a tree and views his status.

All of that… for 50XP…

A minute later Neia joins them by the tree. “There wasn’t much of any value, just some coins.” Handing a few copper coins towards Lee. He takes the coins and puts them into his Hidden Cache. “Now, let’s talk about what happened.” Neia says as she gets them moving along towards Neldam once more.

“Give him some time. It was his first battle.” Ruven responds.

Neia doesn’t even look back but replies, “It is better to talk when the experience is fresh in his mind. Lee, tell us what happened from your point of view.”

Lee, now slowly coming out from his shock, says, “We were talking, and suddenly Ruven tackled me to protect me. I stood, attempting to defend myself and Ruven, but the female goblin had a bow.” Lee looks around the forest, checking to look for any goblins. “I didn’t know what to do, I just acted and ran at her. I tackled her and just stabbed. Over and over again. She bit me but I just kept stabbing. Then it was over.”

Neia nods. “You did well.” Pausing before continuing she says in a morose voice. “The killing becomes easier with time…”