"There are," I tell him. "Just nothing major, and nothing that will bother us here. I always set up camp where the fire ring is."

Finn looks over to the ring of stones that's not too far away, then nods and plops himself down, exhausted. Even if he didn't move around as much as I did for his hunting, he's still tired. Beastkin usually have more stamina than humans, but I've trained with my body a whole lot more than he has.

As a result, I'm a lot fitter and have a lot more stamina than him. It even shows on his body, since he's only slender with some light toning to his muscles, while I'm basically ripped with a set of well-defined abs and almost no body fat at all. He pretty much meets the typical build for a mage, while I meet the typical build for a warrior.

With the stamina to match, Finn exhausted himself just by walking around and moving his arm, speaking a Skill name for hours on end. Meanwhile, I'm only tired because I didn't sleep as much last night. If I'd slept the same amount of time as normal rather than three hours less, I could have gone for at least three or four more hours without issue.

Since Finn needs the rest, I start gathering up firewood and putting it into a pile near the fire ring. Once I've gathered enough, I build a fire and get it going, then look over at Finn. He's sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest, head resting on them and arms wrapped around them. If the sad gaze in his eyes wasn't enough of a sign, his tail isn't moving at all, either.

"Everything okay?" I sit beside him.

"Y-yeah," his cheeks flush a little.

"Are you sure?" I ask. "You look a little sad. I know we've only known each other a couple of days, Finn, but I think you're a great guy. Even if you talk quietly, you're still a good person and you're cute, too, so you shouldn't be-"

"C-can you not?" He interrupts me, cheeks flushing more at his out-of-character interruption.

"Not?" I ask. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing," he mumbles.

My compliments make him feel uncomfortable? Why? I guess I should try to get his mind off that and discuss something else.

"Do you want to sleep on the ground, or in a tent?" I ask Finn. "I mean without a tent for the on-the-ground part. We'd technically be sleeping on a mat for either of those. Just one is with shelter."

"You sleep without tents when camping?" He asks.

"All the time," I answer. "You don't? It's pretty nice."

"It's really chilly," he shivers, hugging himself tighter. "I don't have a jacket."

"The fire will warm you up," I tell him as I pull some food out of my Inventory. "Here, eat up."

Finn accepts the food, then I pull more out so that I can eat, too. There are some berries, some fruit, and some fish I grilled, all put into my Inventory after picking or grilling, so they're all still fresh. Every now and then, I put in ready-to-eat foods just for occasions like this, where I decided to camp out and don't want to go hunting.

I've also put in plenty of pretty rocks I found.

"Thanks," Finn stifles a yawn after finishing eating. "I'm tired now."

"I figured," I say. "Tent or nah?"

He thinks about it for a few moments.

"I don't know," he answers. "I've never… tried without it before. I'm more comfortable with something around me when sleeping. While comparing a beastkin to their animal counterpart is rude… there are some things that really are similar."

As a wolfkin, I assume that means things like he prefers sleeping in an enclosed or mostly-enclosed space or with others snuggled up against him.

The first assumption is because he just told me that. For the second, I've seen a few wolf packs, and they sleep in two groups: the alphas and possibly the heir sleeping together in one group, with the rest of the pack sleeping together in another. All pressed up against each other, ensuring the rest stay warm and cozy.

Does Finn have brothers and sisters? Did they all sleep in one big sleep pile? Or did they sleep on their own beds? A sleep pile seems uncomfortable to me, but it might be cozy to a wolfkin.

"Well, I can set up the tent for you," I tell him. "So that you feel cozier. Yeah?"

After a few moments of thought, he nods.

"Yeah," he answers. "Thanks, Skyler."

"You're welcome!"

I stand and pull my tent out of my Inventory as I walk a little away from the fire. The tent doesn't take me very long to set up, it's just a basic, triangular tent with three poles: the one at the front, the one at the back, and the one that runs between the two. A rectangular canvas tarp is placed down between the two poles, to help protect the sleeper from the ground as well as from potential water from rains.

Once the tarp is down, the heavy canvas tenting itself is placed over it and staked into the ground, with the back closed and the front open with a split that can be tied shut. The bottom edges of the tarp are tied to the bottom edges of the tent, other than the 'door', in order to add another decrease to the chance of water flowing in after a heavy rain or something.

The way it ties on, the edges of the tarp are raised up rather than resting directly on the ground, the water would flow under it. At least, as long as too much weight isn't placed on the edges, forcing them down. The door is aimed so that if there is a heavy rain or something, the water flows toward the front from the back – that way, it won't flow into the tent from the opening.

I open up my Inventory again and pull out my sleeping mat and unroll it, then I place a pillow and blanket on top. Normally, I don't use the blanket this time of year, but Finn does seem cold. I suppose being a wolfkin doesn't give him much resistance to that.

Either that, or I'm just accustomed to chilly air like this.

Hm. Looking at the setup, there's actually room for two in here. If I move the sleeping setup to the side, like this, then there's room for me to sleep on the other side as long as I sleep on my side, too. I could probably sleep on my back, but I'd cross over onto the mat.

Right now, I don't think Finn is that comfortable with me.

I move the stuff back to the center, then put out a small, thick rug for his boots. I'm barefoot and didn't really track anything into here because I wiped my feet off before entering, but his boots would definitely track something in.

"Done," I exit the tent and approach Finn, who looks like he's dozing off at the fire. "You can go sleep now, if you want."

"I'll try…" his head nods a little. "To stay a little more… you don't… seem tired…"

"Alright," I sit back down, then open up my Inventory and pull out something else.

"What's… that?" He asks.

"An ocarina," I examine the blue-and-purple instrument in my hands, running a finger over its smooth, glossy surface. "Dad said it's a traditional instrument where he grew up. It's one of the few things I'm good at outside of hunting and fighting and sneaking. Since you said you wanted to stay up a bit, I figured I'd play a tune he taught me for you."

A lullaby, because he's fighting to stay awake to keep me company. It's better if he goes to sleep than to force himself to stay up, especially with how tired he clearly is. I'll follow soon enough, anyway.

"Thanks," he mumbles, barely able to get the words out in his exhaustion.

Raising the ocarina, I begin playing the lullaby Dad taught me. It consists of the same basic tune, but with three variations repeated in the same order, over and over. I was never able to stay awake past the fifth repeat when Dad played it, but managed to learn it from hearing it.

Hoping that Finn struggles in the same manner, I watch him from the corner of my eye. A strange feeling wells up in me as I play, an energy I've felt a few times. It only happens when I play the ocarina, and I think it's because it was one of the last things Dad gave me before he died.

I play it whenever I'm feeling particularly lonely, and it always makes me feel better, as if Dad is still with me. While I always have an empty feeling after, a lonely feeling, it still gives me some reassurance that I'm not alone, even when I am.

Dad's with me, in spirit if not in body.

Something falls against me, and I realize I'd switched to watching the fire. Finn just fell over, snoozing quietly. Just in case, I play another round of the lullaby, then put the ocarina back into my Inventory.

Carefully, I move Finn a little bit, then lift him up and carry him over to the tent. He's both heavier than I expected and lighter than I'd thought. Yeah, yeah, that makes no sense, but it's true.

Moving him into the tent is difficult, but once he's inside, I pull off his boots and place them on the boot rug before tucking him in. I've barely covered him with the blanket before he curls up under it, though he does keep his head on the pillow as he does.

Cute.

Shaking my head, I leave the tent and pull the flaps closed, then walk over to the fire and add some more wood to it. Judging by the state of the wood, I need to add a little bit more than normal to ensure the flames last long enough to ward off anything during the night.

Curling up on the ground by the fire, I use an arm as a pillow, allowing my exhaustion to overtake me.

"Here you go, son," Dad hands me an ocarina. "Happy birthday."

The ocarina is one I haven't seen before, blues and purples swirled together. Dad's always played one that was a bunch of greens swirled together. His is even hanging from his belt, right now.

Dad's not much taller than me, and he has the same sun-blond hair and golden eyes that I do. We share the same warrior's build, which makes sense since he's the one who taught me how to fight and has been doing it for nearly seven centuries. Despite his age, he only looks about twenty, like Mom!

We're dressed in nearly identical outfits, too. Boots, shorts, sleeveless shirt, vest, and belt with pouches and a wooden sword, those his is on his right hip instead of his left, like mine is. He also has a pair of knives fixed to his belt, while I only have one.

However, the location of his sword isn't the only difference – where my outfit is green, his is purple. His sword is different, too, with golden runes etched along its surface. They help channel his Skills and decrease how fast the sword will break.

"It's cool!" I play a note on it. "Thanks, Dad!"

"You're welcome, Sky," he ruffles my hair. "You're thirteen now, it's time you had your own. This afternoon, I'll teach you how to make them, too."

"Thanks!" I tackle him in a hug.

Dad chuckles, wrapping an arm around me.

"So," he says as we separate. "What do you want for lunch, Sky? Ask, and I shall catch it for you!"

"Ooh! How about katirnal for lunch?" I ask.

The beast's meat is delicious, especially with the things Dad seasons and marinates it with! I know Dad has some pretty good bread in his Inventory, too, so

"Sure!" He ruffles my hair. "We have everything we need right here on the island! You just sit here and have fun, Sky, and I'll hunt the beast and gather the things."

"I'll get the fire ready to begin the roasting!"

"Alright!" He claps his hands. "Let's work!"

Dad begins to take a step away, then suddenly twists and grabs me, pulling me to the side in a roll that sends us tumbling across the ground. Just in time, too, as a spear of stone slams into the ground where we had stood a moment ago. Or rather, just beyond it, having flown in such a way it would have pierced both of our heads.

"Dad?" My body trembles. "What just happened?"

"Shit," he mutters, rising. "Run, Sky! I'll handle this!"

"Dad?" I ask.

He spreads his arms out, and a shimmering violet barrier forms around us, translucent but firm. Since when can he use Skills without their invocation? I haven't seen him use a barrier Skill like this before, either!

My thoughts are interrupted by a series of stone spears slamming into the barrier, and as they clear up, something lands in the clearing, crushing the fire with one of its feet, sending sparks and embers out.

The thing looks like a grey stone statue of a person, but one that's sixty feet in height. It wears no clothes and has the form of a male, with eight pairs of gigantic wings spreading out of its back. A pair of horns spread out from above its ears, curved inward until they're above its head, then back to the sides once there. Its fingers and toes end in claws, and spikes protrude out of its shoulders, the backs of its arms, and its knees.

I barely have time to see it before a force pushes me back.

"RUN, SKY!" Dad yells as his barrier disappears, flames swirling around both hands.

As I watch, Dad slams his hands together, the flames swirling even bigger as the monster raises a hand and does something I didn't know monsters could do.

"All of your kind must perish," its voice is deep and slow. "I am merely the executioner."

A monster that talks. I've never heard of one before. How can it talk? Is it even more powerful than I sense?

Dad reaches down with his left hand, flames still swirling, and grabs his sword, drawing it. The flames travel along its blade, turning from orange and yellow to pure violet. In the same movement, he charges forward.

"SKY!"

I can't move. I can't move, I can't move, I can't move. My body won't move. Dad!

Dad cuts through the stones that begin shooting out of the monster's hand, the stones melting as they fly to the side. The monster attempts to swipe him out of the air, but Dad just flips over it as if it's nothing, bringing his sword down on the monster's arm.

Cracks form along the monster's arm, but that's it. Dad's never done so little damage to something before, and he's using a Skill that's way more powerful than I've ever seen before!

Dad throws a hand back, and another unseen force pulls at me, dragging me away from the fight.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Dad yells.

I want to, but my body won't respond! It's trembling. What is this thing? Why does it feel so terrifying? What's going on?

The monster and Dad continue to battle, each seeming the other's equal. For every strike Dad manages, the monster manages one. For every strike the monster manages, Dad manages one. The runes on his sword glow harshly as they attempt to protect the sword from his battling.

Dad deals the first severe damage first, severing one of the beast's wings. However, he's soon thrown into a tree after that, and he's pale and covered in blood. He doesn't stop the battle, though, continuing on even after his sword breaks. When that happens, Dad switches to using martial arts.

Both of them begin to slow down, Dad's strikes weakening, the monster's spells smaller, slower. Soon enough, Dad has a broken arm and leg, probably a bunch of cracked bones, and the monster is missing all but three of its wings and one of its arms, the parts scattered about the area.

There's also a giant hole in its chest.

Raising its remaining arm, the beast slams it into the ground. A dozen spears burst out of the ground, and Dad's unable to dodge them all, one going through a leg, another through an arm, two through his torso, and one through his head.

Finally, I manage to find my voice.

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAD!"

The monster turns its gaze to me, and whatever hold kept me from moving disappears. I start to scramble back, but the giant statue just jumps, landing behind me. I try to twist out of the way, but end up tumbling both from the movement and from the shockwave of the beast's landing.

"Hmph!" It scoffs. "The only one of real power here is dead. But I will kill you, the other, and everyone on this skybeast, before sinking the skybeast. Just to be sure all are dead."

The beast reaches down, and I let out a terrified scream as I throw my hands up over my face. I can't help it, my body does it on its own. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die.

"RARGH!" The monster screams in surprise and pain.

Daring a peek, I find myself surrounded by a shimmering violet barrier, just like the one Dad had summoned at the start of the battle. The monster stares down at me through it, surprise on its face. What is this feeling inside of me?

"Fledgling," the beast mutters. "Battling the father weakened me too much to break the barrier. I will return, once I have healed. You will die when I return, fledgling."

Turning the beast flaps its three remaining wings, then takes off into the sky, its flight shaky, uneven. Only once it's gone does the barrier around me fade. Did Dad somehow cast one last barrier?

"Dad!"

I scramble to my feet, stumbling and falling a few times as I try to run over to him, my body not moving as well as it should. I'm almost there when I realize his body is… gone. His clothes, his equipment, they're all still there. Even his blood is. But where's the rest of him? Did the monster take him?

"DAD!"

"I'm here, Sky," Dads voice echoes through the air. I can feel his presence all around me. "Not in body, but in spirit. I will soon return to the Great Crystal that births us all. Before I do, I will bestow upon you a gift."

A warm, gentle feeling spreads across my body, and before my eyes, a silver-and-violet rune appears on my chest, then fades away. In the moment I saw it, I could make out that it was similar to the rune the Ancients used for the Crystals, though this one resembled the Crystals a lot more than that one.

"When you reach maturity," Dad's voice tells me. "That Crystal will make itself available to you. It is my last gift to you, Sky. A Crystal born of my death… and my spirit. Goodybe, Sky. When you're ready… spread out your wings and fly."

Dad's presence fades away.

"Dad?" I call out, and he doesn't respond. "Dad?" He still doesn't respond. "Dad! Dad… don't leave me…"

No matter how much I call for him, no matter how much I cry, Dad doesn't respond. He's gone. Dad's gone. The monster killed him.

I'm all alone.

I wake in a cold sweat, my body trembling. That dream was… longer than normal. It usually stops after the beast flies away, and I don't remember… it telling me it would return. I also don't remember the bit after the best flew away. I mean, I remembered that Dad's body had disappeared, that I'd spent two weeks crying and alone, up until Kyle found me because Mom had sent out a request because we hadn't come back.

But I don't remember a disembodied voice talking to me, much less my Dad's. Did my brain add that in? Why was the nightmare different this time?

Why did I have to suffer it again?

Looking toward the tent, I see no sign that Finn is awake, though the sun has begun to rise. I hope he didn't hear me whimpering or anything, that would be pathetic.

Shaking my head to clear those thoughts, I put some more wood on the fire, then stand. I have a fishing pole in my Inventory, I'm going to push the sadness to the back of my mind, catch some fish, and enjoy the day.

As I walk down to the beach, a few thoughts fill my mind.

How big will the fish I catch be? How many should I catch for breakfast? Where should I take Finn for training today?

Can I gain more Levels than him today?