"Are you sure this is the best idea you could have come up with?" I screamed at Roana as we ran toward a Gnoll's encampment.

It was clear that there were, indeed, Ethereals at our heels. Even if they were not all of the ones down the cave, there were enough to easily overwhelm the Gnoll's encampment laying in front of us.

"Either that or drop the cub!" She screamed back.

"Never!" I shouted, hugging my new pet even tighter.

I was definitely not letting go of him.

"Then run and keep your mouth shut, or you're going to eat flies!"

Less than a kilometer divided us from the Gnoll's encampment. They had yet to see us, their vision was poor, and there was no wind right now, so they could not sniff us. Also, we were still in the forest with protection from its vegetation.

If we brought our pursuers to the Gnolls and they got rid of them we would then have the Gnolls at our backs. Then, maybe we could not have outlasted them in a race but we could easily outrun them, but not the Hounds. The Hounds were fast; they were quadrupeds. Even with my Agility, there was no way I could run faster than them, and Roana even less so.

The Gnolls' encampment was rural at best. They did not have clock-tech, not that they didn't understand it; they just couldn't afford it.

Gnolls were miners, farmers, and a sapient race, but they were not accepted as a proper society by the others, not until they let go of their ways. But who would let go of their ways because somebody else said so? I knew I wouldn't have.

So they were shunned, and nobody traded with them.

Which led to them hunting us down, and we hunt them back in a neverending vicious cycle of murder.

Roana and I had to do something nasty, really nasty. I almost felt bad for the Gnolls, but to save our lives, we would do it.

We would slow down, enter Gnoll's territory, and let them take care of the monsters as we transferred away.

Easy peasy.

The canopy of the forest opened up before us, showing in full view the Gnolls' encampment with its huge tents, open braziers, farms, forge, airship, and-

"Airship!?"

Ro braked to a stop, almost toppling over, "What in the Abyss is that!?" She shouted.

And I knew, oh, I knew what that was.

That was a flying people's airship, a Featherland’s airship, and it had docked in Gnoll's territory. No, it had not been sequestered; it had docked.

Its redwood body, with massive sails and airscrews, or propellers as Logan called them, both on its behind and coming out of its sides, were still working, rotating, and keeping the monstrous construction hovering up in mid-air.

"That's a Flying folk's airship..."

"And now? What do we do!?" Our responses had inverted, now she was the one losing faith in our plan.

I looked back; the creatures would catch us if we did not enact our plans, then they would not only eat the cub; they would kill us altogether.

"We need to continue; it’s the only way." Then I gave her the cub for a moment, tore my shirt away, and gave her half, "Cover your face, or we will be recognized and put on the blacklist."

Those last few seconds really were all we could buy, then I took the cub back and, taking each other's hands, we ran toward the village and started screaming, sure as the Abyss some of those Gnolls would understand us.

"Help! Help! A horde of monsters!"

Roana's higher shrills were indeed effective.

My eyes noted the flying people right away. Clearly standing tall among the stocky Gnolls, the tall figure of the flying people was identifiable.

They looked like flowers growing amid a field of litter. My Synesthesia suggested they were literally birds amid dogs.

The tall people were easily identifiable in which they were mostly humans.

They had a helmet with goggles on its front, with their plumage coming out from behind their ears, and a suite of open leather with feathers coming out from the back of their arms.

It was the heritage of their populace, the plumage of the Avians.

It was said that they lived among the mountains, where the Thunderbirds, the phoenixes, had their nests, where they hid, and were their giant City built in the tall mountains, among the ever-flowing winds animated their dreams to fly.

I wished I could see that place, even just once.

"I'm sorry!" Roana screamed to the Gnolls as we were finally inside the outskirts of the village.

However, when they started shooting arrows at us, I knew we would not get much closer before we would be hit even by their subpar archers.

There were Skills that could fix their bad eyesight after all, and Perception could be raised even for them, or there would not be archers among them.

I had two Stones with me, there were two in Roana's possessions as well, and I had her give them to me to bond with them before I could use them.

Each transfer would cost us two Stones, which meant that we would only be able to jump twice, here, in plain light, in plain Flow.

One Trick Shot to get in, one to get out, both costing two Stones each. The cub weighing barely a kilogram was inconsequential.

When I just could not get us any closer, even intercepting the arrow's direction, and I was already practically dancing among the arrows, I threw my knife as powerfully as I could; it flew inside of the encampment and near the airship's location.

As I felt the tie with the Shade hiding at the tail of the knife, about to stretch to its utmost limit, I braked, embracing Roana and let us both through the tight confines of the Shade.

We found ourselves in the middle of the encampment, near the airship, and gamboling over the ground, then quickly back to running.

I picked up the knife from the nearby patch of grassy ground, and at that moment, my eyes met those of a man, no, a young man, or maybe a girl, I could not say, their facial features too perfect for judging the details.

He or she was dressed exactly like the other Avians but were the other's dresses were of an aquamarine color, the ambivalent young adult dressed in red, the same red of the airship, and their eyes met with mine.

I couldn't help but be surprised when Tracking and Tracing my new target; I felt the exact same thing.

The young man, for he was a boy, now I knew, had Tracked and Traced me back.

Jebediah Meyer, Gunslinger Level 42 (72580/420.000), Air-Commander Level 37 (317.008/370.000)

Health: 100%

Stamina: 96%

Agility: Intermediate

Constitution: High

Strength: Intermediate

Focus: Moderate

Perception: Moderate-High

Willpower: Moderate

Strengths: Mind, Aim, Constitution, Focus

Weaknesses: None

Class Skills: Triple Shot (Agility), Flying Body (Constitution), Enhanced Shot (Focus), Trace II (Perception)

Sub-Class Skills: Iron Hand (Strength), Built to Fly (Constitution), Flight Boost II (Focus), Tunnel Vision (Willpower)

Race: Human

Sex: Male

Height: 193 cm

Weight: 75 kg

Age: 23

Origins: Featherland

Family: Unknown

If this man could fly like his Skills suggested and wanted to take revenge from having interrupted their trade or for the chaos that was about to happen, then we were fucked, because he was actively Tracking me now.

Even before I Promoted Trace, my tracking Perk extended to an area of at least three kilometers; I had no idea how much it had increased with the Promotion; what I knew was that we had to get away and fast.

A few seconds after we started running, I felt his gaze on me dissipate; that was not because he had let go of the Tracking though; it was most probably because his focus was taken by the vast amount of creatures that had started thrashing over the village.

I took that chance to throw my knife again, scoop Roana up and disappear from the place and back inside of the forest… we needed to run, now more than ever.

"I've been tracked," I stated after we had been running for a couple of minutes. The shouts of the fight and guttural screams of the Gnolls were still audible from here.

"What? By the Gnolls?"

"No, sadly not. By one of those Avians. I Traced him, and he had his damn Skills Promoted, he might have been a delver for all I know."

She thought about it in silence for a while.

When she finally opened her mouth, we had reached the same conclusion, "Then we need to take a long way back home, even if it means losing a couple of days, we can't bring someone to the treehouse."

"I know, just lead the way."

Heading always north, we went past the old slave traders' territory and met with a few troublesome Gnoll's patrol that came from another settlement along the way; but, we managed to outrun them, passing over their borders and reaching the north limits of Little Bush.

The forest's ground started rising when we passed the slave trader's border and had risen ever since.

We had been going at a speeded pace for the entire day. Our Stamina was likely rock-bottom, and how Roana was still standing given her white face was an enigma to me. Maybe she was pushing herself with her Skills? I had no idea. Still, desperation went a long way when it came to pushing oneself, I was living proof of that.

However, as twilight was finally upon us, after around ten hours or so, we arrived at a place where the forest's floor practically gave out from beneath, and a wide gorge revealed itself in all its glory.

We stopped abruptly and took in the vast chasm in front of us; we were much higher than I had registered.

We had run so far north and had risen so high that on our left, we could see Sundoor in all its glory.

I didn't remember ever having been higher up than that, we were higher up than any of their massive buildings but the Golden Tower, their Dungeon.

We stopped to recover our breath while looking at the spectacular sight of the light of the twilight illuminating the Drylands in shades of orange and Sundoor with its amber buildings gaining incredible splendor.

The sun reflected on its high towers, almost tickling our eyes for the shine they emitted; when suddenly the usual beam of light shot for the sky from the center of the City, we jerked from the fright and instinctively held our hands.

I was tired, Roana’s Stamina was at the lowest point she could go before fainting, dangerously low, and the cub wouldn't stop crying because of hunger.

I took that time to rest and gave it some of our rations for the second time during the day.

The Tracker was still on me, just as I could still feel the boy; he had been taking it slow and wasn't actively looking for me; he probably knew that he had me in his grasp, which meant that he knew the correct amount of space he could put between us before he lost me.

I didn't, but right now, I could feel that we were roughly six kilometers apart, at least double the initial limit of Tracking.

Yes, Tracking gave one certain knowledge of the Tracked target, but not the perfect location; he would know where he needed to come to find me but would not know where exactly I stood or around which tree.

But how could I beat in race someone that could count on a damn airship?

Would I have to simply let Roana go back, let them find me, and fight them to the death?

I didn't know yet; what I did know was that I would not head back and put Nova and the others in danger.

When we had drunk the little water that remained in our flasks, I started speaking my mind, "I think you should go back and--,” but never managed to finish the phrase.

"That's not gonna happen," Ro answered.

I smiled, but she was tired, too tired to continue, it seemed that my increased Constitution and, most importantly, the added Bonus had given me a serious advantage in Stamina, but she didn't even have a Perk that boosted hers or her recovery, she would drop in a while if we kept this up.

I could not exactly check them with Trace, or I would lose my Tracker.

It was night; it would be night in a while, and if I couldn't escape from them, I could take the fight to them. It was the only thing that I could do.

They had been tracking us, following us, intentionally taunting us, and I was at my wit's end... I could not go back, I could not put the others in danger. I had to take it upon my shoulders once more. I had to do what was good for us all.

I could be the Ghost of the Night of their darkest dreams, and take them all down, together with their ship, or die trying.

As a fit of rage washed over me, I felt my eyes grew slightly cold... A weird phenomenon that had happened before.

No time to think about it. I came up with a plan pretty quickly, while the young man I had tracked grew ever closer. Still, there was a small amount of preparation I had to do in the meanwhile.

First thing first, I had to Trace my progress with the clock-device.

Loke Nightfold

Advanced Class

TechnoHunter Lv. 30

Agi + 1, Con + 3, Str + 3, Foc + 1, Per + 1

Sub-Class

Tamer Lv. 27

Foc + 1, Will + 2, For + ☆

Attributes

Stats

Natural

Augments

Agility

15 + 4

Boot (+3), Dagger (+25)

Constitution

12 + 14

Clothes (+3), Clockarm (+10), Dagger (+35)

Strength

14 + 3

Clockarm (+10), Dagger (+65)

Focus

15 + 2

Dagger (+25)

Perception

17 + 7

Willpower

29 + 2

Dagger (+25)

Fortune

★ ★ ★ + ☆

Hunting Skills

Name

Major

Minor

Passive

Trick Shot - Agility

(Eligible for Promotion)

★ A Shade projectile follows your shot

★ Transfer to your Trick Shot’s location

Agility + 3

Technomantic Body - Constitution

Constitution is boosted by your tech-parts: (+11)

Hunting Tactics - Focus

★, ☆ Your target’s weak points are partially exposed

★ Trace II - Perception

(Eligible for Promotion)

★, ☆ Trace more of the whispers of the Soul

★, ☆ Track your target and see his next move

Perception + 6;

★, ☆ Synesthesia

Tamer Skills

Name

Major

Minor

Passive

Return to nature - Focus

Your pet partially heals eating your prey

★, ☆ Gain minor knowledge about your prey

Animal Instincts - Perception

★, ☆ Partially feel your pet’s emotions

★ Perception + 3 with Shade

Together we are one - Willpower

☆ You can tame weak Flow creatures

Your creatures can understand you

The Tracer couldn’t know the name of the object and equipment I wore; however, although Specter's Dignity's was defined only as a dagger, I could recognize the Bonuses it gave me, and they were… incredible. But as long as I was dealing with a delver, I would be just like a kid trying to fight a grown man. I had to hope he was just a fortunate kid who had gotten his hands on quite a few Dark Crystals, like me.

Still what really shined for me as I looked at the results of the Tracing was an ability I had longed for; the ability to heal my pets.

Even if my Pet just passively healed while eating a prey, it was better than nothing.

Even if I would have to feed them myself, anything was better than seeing them die.

Still, If I needed to strike, I needed to be prepared and be ready to do anything. If I allowed them so much as have the upper hand against me, I would be finished.

"If only I had my damn bow…"

No, I didn't have to think in those terms; I had received training purposefully for such an instance.

Doing something constructive like planning my next move was better than crying on myself.

Roana was cradling the still-unnamed cub with her back behind a tree; she was so tired that she would probably fall asleep the moment she lay her head on something.

I smiled at that scene, hoping I would be able to see them again, then I took out the two Shiny Stones I would be using and closed my eyes.

When I opened my eyes back up, I was in a world of darkness.

"Back so soon, Loke? You were starting to miss me, I see," said the voice from the light.

"You can believe whatever you want to believe, but all I need right now is to Promote my Skills. I'm in a hurry."

"Are you sure? Don't you have questions to ask me?"

I squinted my eyes, "How do you know that? Are you spying on me?"

"How do I know? I know everything there is to know, Loke. I'm everywhere. Am I not?"

"Why do you keep answering questions with questions?"

"I do. Don't I?"

I couldn't help but sigh, however… remembering that once I was surprised about sighing while in this place, I recognized that the place in which I was now felt different, closer to me.

"What happened to me? Do you know it?"

"Are you not in a rush anymore? How funny."

"You, instead, are a son of a Moon walker, aren't you?"

The light laughed; I had never heard it laugh.

"Go now; you have been bestowed with what you were looking for. And Loke?"

“Wh-what?”

“Do not fear for what you have to do.”

"Wait! At least-"

I opened my eyes to the darkness of the forest.

Roana, by my side, had fallen asleep, practically collapsed, and yet…

How much time had gone by? Didn't my last voyage in that place last just a moment?

No, that wasn't the last time. I had met the light once more before that. When I was still in a coma, How much time went by then? I did not know.

Anyway, it didn't matter. Because the Sun had yet to end its descending arc, it was not yet night.

I looked at my empty hands; the Shiny Stones had disappeared, which meant that both Trick Shot and Trace were ready for Promotion.

I checked the state of their Skill Points by summoning the whispers as a visual image.

They solidified in front of me like dark smoke.

Skill points for Trick Shot Promotion:

- Trick Shot Major Perk: 0/2000

- Trick Shot Minor Perk: 0/1000

- Trick Shot Passive Perk: 0/500

Trick Shot seemed to behave exactly as Trace had; however, Trace II required...

Skill points for Trace II Promotion:

- Trace Major Perk: 0/20000

- Trace Minor Perk: 0/10000

- Trace Passive Perk: 0/5000

...ten times the initial amount. I should have expected it. It was exactly like Class advancement.

Still, I realized that it would be a breeze.

I wanted to check if Trick Shot gave me Skill points if used out of combat; it should have.

If it worked as it did with Trace, the Passive Perk would be the hardest to figure out but also the easier to level up once understood correctly.

I still had time before my target reached up to me; in the meanwhile, I would train, the world was filled with Shade now, my element; then, when the Avian would come closer to me, I would send Roana back home with the cub, and sink the damn airship.

The gorge in front of me seemed to be the perfect place to do it.

I got on my feet then, stretched my stiff shoulders, and prepared to throw the knife all the way to the other side of the valley, just for training, but before I could do that, something happened.

Something that woke Roana up from her slumber sent shivers down my spine and made the cub wail with fright.

When the low cry of a beast I had never heard before echoed throughout the land, both the Flowborne birds and the Shadeling ones, nesting on their trees, escaped en masse in the sky, flying in every direction.

Synesthesia suggested to me the noise with the shape of a massive Netherlion with a crest so wide that it covered half of its body.

I turned behind, but even though the descending trail of trees allowed me to overlook almost the entire forest, I could not see what was going on.

I launched the knife toward a tree's top and transferred there, then I saw it.

The massive Netherlion cried, far in the distance.

From where I stood it was as big as a hound, but we were more than seventy kilometers from the Netherbeast rocks; if it still looked like a little hound from here, then the beast was huge.

The Titan was laying waste to part of the forest, and a speck of reflected light in the distance and the sudden increase in distance with my target, made me realize that they, the Avians, were going back in the Titan’s direction.

I smiled wickedly; there was no better moment to take down a target than when it was dividing its attention.