Galmi scratched the back of his head as he stared at the woman before him. She’d gone immobile, and from his time with Selene he knew this meant she’d logged out. Yet she’d done so in a wide open area which only endangered her.

Galmi peered past the woman to Scarlet. “What do you think?”

The grown wolf turned away and showed far more interest in the cows than his question.

Galmi sighed at the lack of feedback, and muttered, “Well, we can’t leave her here.”

Galmi strode forward and scooped up the immobile woman. For a moment he thought of throwing her over his shoulder, but in the end turned aside that idea since it seemed a tad too rude.

“Scarlet, can you find us somewhere to set up for the night?”

Scarlet glanced at him, and then started to pad away from the herd of cows. She traveled to the south across the plain, and then after a while turned to another forest.

Galmi followed the wolf and managed to keep pace, most in part due to Scarlet taking her time. Every so often he glanced over his shoulder, in case more players appeared from the north in search of the girl. By the time they reached the edge of the southern woods no one had arrived, and so they quietly slipped in amongst the trees.

Once they’d gone in a fair distance Galmi put down the woman. With her dealt with, and no immediate threat that he could perceive, he settled down in making a temporary campsite. Galmi gathered a few twigs and leaves, and with only a few tries managed to start a fire.

Due to that the system alerted him that one of his skills had changed to intermediate. Galmi smiled at the alert, and out of curiosity opted to check the progress on everything.

Skills

Skill

Level

Description

Mind’s Eye

5(33%) Advanced

Evolved Skill. Grants the ability to perceive the surrounding environment using all of your senses, even when blind and deaf.

Staff Fighting

3(5%) Advanced

Evolved Skill. Gain a significant damage boost when using Staff weapons.

Sword Fighting

1(5%) Beginner

Increases damage and accuracy with a one-handed sword.

The Fool

9(47%) Advanced

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Quickened Recovery

4(77%) Intermediate

Increases the recovery of your stamina, along with an increase to both health and magic regeneration.

Basic Brawling

7(20% exp) Intermediate

Increases the power and accuracy of bare-handed fighting. Has the potential for evolving based on playstyle.

Packleader

8(9%) Intermediate

You have proven yourself to be a strong fighter, capable of leading a pack of animals and showing them the proper way to live. Generates bonuses for any animals following you.

Heavy Blow

8(70%) Beginner

You're capable of delivering a powerful blow. The damage output is significant but it comes at a significant stamina cost..

First Aid

3(15%) Advanced

You have learned how to care for people at the most basic level. With the proper tools you can help others recover a good amount of health, cancel bleeding, and revive the recently killed.

Arrow Guard

5(54%) Intermediate

You have gained an increased awareness of projectiles fired in your vicinity, and have a bonus to catching and deflecting them.

Deep Thinking

2(11%) Intermediate

By thinking deeply often you have taken your first steps toward wisdom. Continued usage will result in an increase in skill level.

Grants a small bonus to intelligence and wisdom.

Sneak

2(59%) Intermediate

Your body naturally makes less noise.

Outdoorsman

6(43%) Intermediate

You have learned how to survive off the wilderness. You are able to recognize dangerous plants, create campsites, and forage for food.

Shed Skin

3(41%) Beginner

A powerful ability gained by defeating Wyrmfang. It has a limit of one use per day and will unequip everything.

Throw

3(53%) Intermediate

You have a good deal of experience with throwing small objects. Thrown objects naturally do more damage.

Lupine Empathy

4(61%) Intermediate

Extended time with a wolf has granted you a better understanding of what they are thinking and feeling.

As always Galmi was mystified by The Fool. People he met said they’d never heard of it, and there was nothing in the help files on it. He’d even tried to reach out to the administrators but none had responded to a single report filed by him.

Scarlet growled, and Galmi immediately activated his Mind’s Eye skill. They’d been together long enough that he’d learned to trust her, no matter how passive the situation might seem.

Galmi’s eyes widened as he realized what had surrounded them. There was a moment of internal conflict, as he glanced worriedly at Scarlet, but in the end he summoned a staff and prepared for the fight.

The first came from the right, a blur of fur and shadows. Galmi’s staff swung out to intercept the shadow wolf, the platinum shaft cracking hard against the beast. The wolf yelped in pain, its body thrust back into the bushes it’d emerged from.

A pair of the wolves rushed Scarlet, and soon the trio became a blur of red and black. Galmi went to help her, but had to turn to block a fourth wolf. It flung itself at Galmi with little regard for itself, fangs flashing in the minimal moonlight afforded by the forest canopy.

Galmi put his staff out to catch the open jaw, and the teeth clashed against the metal. He twisted and thrust the wolf to the ground, dropping onto its stomach with his knee. Before it could recover he followed through with a punch to the head, the blow strong enough to knock the wolf out.

Light glimmered as white particles flew out from Scarlet’s fight, and one of the two aggressors vanished. The second darted away from Scarlet and fled to the surrounding forest, though she showed no interest in chasing it down.

Instead Scarlet padded over to Galmi and thrust her nose at the unconscious wolf. He glanced at her, and then shrugged helplessly. “Be kind of mean to butcher it when it can’t defend itself.”

She looked at him, and then sniffed and padded away. Galmi watched her move, knowing she’d positioned herself in the path of the largest of the wolves nearby, but didn’t comment on it. Rather he focused on honing his senses in an attempt to better understand what was happening.

“Look, I’m not here to steal your prey,” Galmi called out into the shadows, “we’re just waiting for our friend to return and then we’ll leave your territory.”

He was greeted by silence for a while, before a large dark wolf stepped out into the moonlight. The animal was almost twice the size of Scarlet and seemed to be part of the shadows. Through his senses Galmi could tell that none of the others were moving.

The giant wolf padded forward, brushing past Scarlet without once showing a hint of aggression. It walked up to Galmi, and then reached down and gently grabbed the scruff of the fallen wolf’s neck.

What could only be the pack leader of the wolves lifted the unconscious one and carried it away. As it faded into the shadows Galmi could sense that the others nearby had started to withdraw. In a few more minutes there were no wolves nearby except for Scarlet.

Galmi put his staff back into his inventory and glanced at the immobile woman. “Maybe it’s a good thing she’s not logged in.”

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Nicole’s heels clicked with each step as she strode through the mall. She surveyed the place, and the various people who had come to shop. Contact lenses glistened over her eyes, and as she looked at each person unmarked silhouettes outlined them.

Nicole reached into her purse and pulled out her cell. She pressed a few buttons, an act that caused a quiet nose to emit from her earring. There was a moment where her sight was cleared of all the enhanced silhouettes, and then a single one flickered.

The phone was deposited back into the purse, and Nicole strode over to the highlighted individual. Ahead of her Selene was huddled in the food court, seated at a table in the back corner.

Selene straightened and smiled when she saw Nicole, one hand lifted up to about shoulder height for a modest wave. Nicole walked to the table and put her purse on it, before she sat down with one leg crossed over the other.

“I’m surprised you made it here first,” Nicole said.

“Well, y’know, I didn’t have much happening,” Selene replied.

Nicole fished the cell out of the purse and put it down. Her fingers danced over the surface of the device while she said, “That’s why I keep telling you to do more than read.”

Selene frowned as she moved a few strands of hair back behind an ear. “And go party?”

“Oh god no!” Nicole laughed. “I still remember the last time I took you out!”

Selene shuddered. “So do I.”

“No, but seriously, maybe go see a flick or something?”

Near the edge of the food court a small rotound object wheeled through the crowds. It slipped past occupied tables and arrived next to Nicole and Selene. A small shutter opened on the top and a tray was presented.

Nicole picked up the tray and put it on the table. There was a hamburger with pickles, onions, and ketchup nestled next to a pile of steak fries. She turned the tray so the fries faced toward Selene, and then grabbed the cutlery.

“It’s not fun alone,” Selene muttered as she picked at the fries.

Nicole, about to cut into the burger, paused to look at her sister. “I’m always willing to go,” she told her, “don’t be afraid to call.”

“You’re busy.” Selene looked down and off to her left.

Nicole managed to fight off the sigh that’d started. Instead she picked up a piece of the cut up burger and popped it in her mouth. As she chewed on the food she thought on her sister, and the recurring problem.

The fact that Selene had yet to talk about any friends from her classes worried Nicole. She’d hoped her sister had changed since high school, but that seemed to have been a pipe dream.

“Hey, try talking to some of the guys in your class,” Nicole finally said as she pointed the fork at Selene, “you have the looks so they’ll respond.”

Selene fidgeted at the comment and muttered, “Maybe.”

Off to Nicole’s right a crowd of people had gathered on the edge of the food court. Most of them talked loudly, a few even yelling and waving at a nearby man.

The man was tall, at least six feet, and even with baggy clothing had a lean athletic look to him. A bit of stubble had grown on his chin, though not enough to obscure the scars. He had a pair of sunglasses on, but opted to take them off once everyone started to yell.

“Wait, I know him,” Nicole said as she stood up, “isn’t that Henry Jones?”

“Who?”

Nicole started to walk over, but paused and turned back to the table. She scooped up her cell and deposited it into her purse, even as she slung the purse onto her shoulder.

“Come on,” Nicole said as she lightly gripped Selene’s hand, “I want to see if he’s giving out autographs.”

There was a bit of protest from her sister, but Nicole ignored her and almost dragged Selene across the food court. A few more people had gathered near Henry and started to pose next to him.

“Sorry, I can’t really sign anything with my hand like this,” Henry said with a deep, gravelly voice. The right hand was lifted and the cast told everyone all they needed to know.

“When you fighting Hernendaz again?” one guy asked from the side.

Henry rubbed the back of his head with his left hand and laughed. “Hopefully never? I’m not too keen on him breaking another hand.”

Most of the crowd laughed with him, and then more questions came. Some asked who his favorite fighter was, some asked if he was single, and a handful asked if he’d teach them how to box.

Henry lifted up both hands in an attempt to quiet down the crowd. “Hold on. I’m trying to find a place here, but the map wasn’t very specific and it’s not listed anywhere,” he told everyone, “does anyone know where Snowcrest Dojang is?”

A quiver of excitement ran through Nicole at the question, and after she released Selene’s hand raised her own. “I do!” The attention of the group shifted from the celebrity to Nicole. She felt her sister nestle up closer to her. “I can show you where it is.”

There was a quiet moment where Henry stared at her, and then he motioned gently with his hands at everyone. “Alright guys, I need to get going because of my schedule. I promise when my hand is healed I’ll set up a signing session here, though.”

There was a smattering of applause before the crowd began to disperse. A few of the younger women tried to pass small slips of paper to Henry, which he accepted with a smile. The slips were placed into his pocket before he walked over to Nicole.

“Pleasure to meet you, I’m Henry Jones,” he said, “are you sure you know where the dojang is?”

“Of course, I work there,” Nicole replied, and then motioned to her sister, “I’m Nicole and this is Selene.”

Henry’s eyes flicked between the two of them, and then he smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“I honestly can’t believe you came here,” Nicole said as she started to head toward the dojo, “or that you’re looking for where I teach.”

“You’re an instructor in taekwondo?”

“Only for the last couple of months. Saseong Mun has me handle the new kids.”

Henry nodded his head. “You’ve been at it for a long time?”

“Oh, I think it’s been seven years now? I started in middle school. I’m guessing you’re trying to learn?”

“Kind of have to. My coach said my striking techniques need work, I’m relying too much on my boxing.”

Selene suddenly spoke up with a quiet voice, “Muay thai.”

Nicole paused in her walk, unable to hide the surprise on her face. “Selene?”

“He’s an MMA fighter, taekwondo for striking techniques isn’t as good as muay thai.”

Henry chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. “What’s this, she’s a fan of the sport too?”

“No, she doesn’t like watching people get beat up,” Nicole replied, “but she’s the one who got me to practice taekwondo.”

Henry raised an eyebrow and looked at Selene. “Why’s that?”

Selene fidgeted under the attention, but managed to not hide behind her sister. “It’s good exercise, and she has long legs.”

“And the reason you’re saying muay thai is ‘cause?”

“I mean for kicking it’s awesome,” Selene said as her voice grew in volume, “but it has a lot of old techniques that are banned. Muay thai will go great with your boxing style.”

“Banned? I didn’t know that,” Henry admitted, “but how do you know so much about martial arts?”

Selene glanced at Nicole and blushed. “I wanted to help my sister out, so I researched a lot and then I just kept reading.”

“She reads too much,” Nicole said, “but, yeah, she knows a lot about stuff I’d never even think of looking up.”

“Why don’t you go to an MMA gym?” Selene asked.

Henry laughed as he rubbed the back of his head. “I kind of got banned from the closest one. The owner’s an ass, and I didn’t like how they were treating some of the guys.”

“There’s more than one isn’t there?”

Nicole watched the pair as they talked and smiled. It was rare to find someone that Selene would interact with. In truth, out of the last year there’d only been one person that she knew of, and he’d ended up being some sort of a crazy person.