“You know, we should give you a name besides ‘voice in my head’,” Kai said as he reset one of the triggers for his snares.

“Why?” the voice asked. “You do realize that I am a part of you, right?”

“I don’t believe that. You’re more like… the angel on my shoulder.”

“And that would make you the devil, then.”

Kai stroked his chin. “Hm, how about Frank or Dave.”

“You are not calling me Dave.”

“Yeah, you’re more of a Jeeves.” Kai snapped his fingers. “I’ve got it, I’m gonna call you Aux. That’s short for-”

“Yes, auxiliary. Very smart. Shall I give you an extra stat point of intelligence?"

“Hey, no need to be condescending.”

Kai looked at his status screen.

Name: Kai Walker

Health: 35/51

Mana: 105/105

Class: Empath

Abilities: Empathic Link

Skills: Survivalist (lvl.1), Trap Maker (lvl.1)

Magic: None

Collected Memories: Empty

Status:

Strength: 1

Agility: 1

Dexterity: 2

Endurance: 6

Intelligence: 2

Wisdom: 2

Charisma: 1

Debuffs:

Ravenous

“Hey!” Kai exclaimed. “Did you really just give me a stat point? What’s the point of this thing if you’re just gonna give me stat points for arbitrary reasons?”

“I did not just give it to you. Things don’t appear on the status screen until you earn them.”

“...This is a metaphor for life, isn’t it?”

“Everything is a metaphor for life, if you think about it.”

Kai squinted his eyes, but couldn’t tell if Aux was being sarcastic or not. Shaking his head, he decided to stop talking to himself and instead looked down at the body at his feet. From the neck down it looked like an oversized mole, except it’s face branched out into various fleshy stubs. Even while dead, if anything touched the stubs they would pull back and the mouth of the creature would twitch. Inside its mouth were rows of serrated teeth arranged in a circular pattern. Long, curved claws jutted out from its hands.

Kai could already see it. A careless foot placed nearby and the creature would latch on and pull its victim back down into its underground burrow. There its prey would either be ripped to shreds or suffocate over time if it was too big to take down alone.

Kai slung the creature over his left shoulder and started walking back to his travois. It was even more important to find Vlad quickly if there were beasts like this prowling the forest. There would be no way to find the black box if it was underground or rolling around inside a creature’s stomach.

Back at the stream Kai gutted the animal, making sure to bury the refuse in a pit far away from his campsite and cleaning his hands thoroughly. The forest had dried somewhat since the day before and Kai was able to make a bonfire that trailed clouds of smoke into the sky. While the lamprey mole’s meat was roasting, Kai took off his clothes, found a patch of mud and rolled himself into it. He then stuck leaves, branches and bark onto his body before slathering himself with another layer of mud. He repeated this until he was indistinguishable from the rest of the foliage around him.

With that done, Kai collected the cooked meat. But instead of eating at the bonfire, Kai instead climbed up a tree a distance away where he had a vantage point overlooking the area. Dangling from a belt of vines at his side was his stone club, sling staff and some stones. Kai waited while he ate the meat. It was chewy and tasted like chicken.

Morning turned to noon. The bonfire continued to billow smoke into the air. Kai amused himself by sending images of eagles chasing after nearby birds. The birds flew upwards and above the canopies Kai saw an endless sea of green beneath a wide, open blue sky.

Noon burned on. Fish leaped out of the stream to bite at imaginary insects as Kai continued to wait. After a few hours Kai climbed down the tree to add more fuel to the bonfire before climbing back to his vantage point. Kai took a nap.

Dusk bled over the forest, then darkness took hold. The bonfire crackled alongside the chirruping of insects, a beacon in the night. Now was the time. Kai could only hope that his prey would take the bait.

It wasn’t until the three moons, two white and the other red, were at their apex that Kai heard the first splash of water. A blazing bundle of rage, hunger, thirst and murderous intent shone through the night in Kai’s mind. Vlad could see the bonfire and was heading towards it from across the stream. There was only one floating spear at his side.

“It’s a shame I didn’t think to booby trap the stream,” Kai thought.

But no matter, Kai had Vlad right where he wanted him. He was cold and bleeding from his left arm. Something had bit him, images of a giant wolf flashed through Vlad’s mind. His robe that could reflect bullets had been ripped and torn on one side. Kai couldn’t believe his luck. The turtle had a gaping hole in its shell. If there was ever a time to strike it was now.

Whispers of suspicion formed in Vlad’s mind as his feet hit the bank of the stream. But they were overshadowed by his desire to impale the first thing that came into his line of sight. Vlad edged closer to the bonfire, his eyes searching for the bumbling imbecile that had gotten him into this mess. Where was he? Had he left to relieve himself? Or was he hiding in wait like the rat he was? Vlad began to saunter up to bonfire, a brash dare churning in his mind. If the rat wanted the first shot then he could have it! Vlad was about to step into the light of the fire when-

He stopped. It was as though Vlad had become frozen in time.

He was so close! Why wasn’t he stepping into the light of the fire? Kai had to admit it was suspicious, but he had tried to make the campsite look habited. His travois was still there and he had left some bits of cooked meat adjacent to the bonfire.

No, something was wrong. A plan was forming in Vlad’s mind but Kai couldn’t tell what. However, Kai wasn’t going to wait to find out. Kai was halfway down the tree when the spike in his chest twitched.

Before the words “Oh shi-” could leave Kai’s mouth the spike twisted back and forth. The barb at the end of it ripped and tore into Kai's flesh and he couldn’t prevent himself from letting out a soft grunt.

Silence filled the air. Then it was shattered as a black spear exploded out from the tree Kai was under. From beyond, Vlad stared straight towards Kai, a reflection of the bonfire in his slitted red eyes.

“Found you, rat!” Vlad shouted.

Kai ran. Vlad didn’t follow, he didn’t have to. The spear on the other hand was close on Kai’s tail. Kai juked and dived past trees, hoping that they would slow down the spear. They didn’t; the spear just burst through them like pieces of cardboard. Trees, rocks, dirt, mud, it didn’t matter. Whatever Kai put between him and the spear was shred to pieces. As the spear was about to catch up to him, Kai turned around and stood his ground. The spear spiraled towards him and at the last second he pivoted his body to the right. It shot past him and impaled itself into the ground.

Kai jumped onto the midsection of the spear, putting his arms around it. He prepared himself to be sent tumbling as the spear sprung backwards but… the spear didn’t move. It was as Kai suspected. The spear wasn’t chasing him, it was chasing the spike lodged in his chest. Kai tried pulling the spike out with his hand to no avail. It wasn’t just stuck, it was actively resisting his attempts at pulling it out. The spear jerked. Thinking fast, Kai took the string from his sling staff and tied the spike and the spear together. He then gritted his teeth and waited for the inevitable.

The spear rocketed backwards out of the ground. The string pulled taut and with it the spike followed after in a gush of blood and ripped flesh. Black dots filled Kai’s vision as he recoiled to the ground, gasping for breath. But there was no time. Kai fled further into the forest, a trail of blood dripping behind him…

***

Leandros soon found himself standing over the spot where the rat had removed the spike. Floating at his side was his black spear and a thin spike wet with blood. While it was a setback that the rat had removed the spike, Leandros could still find him from the scent of blood he had left behind. The traces of blood led into the forest, thick swaths of foliage obscuring Leandros’ line of sight. The rat was going to try to hide it out, then.

Leandros sighed. Hunting down injured prey was more befitting of his hounds, not a mage of his stature. Still, it would be worth it just to see the rat squirming under his spear as he eviscerated him from the inside out. Leandros felt a surge of excitement well up inside him, but a slight, deep chested cough dampened his mood. The taste of his own blood filled Leandros’ mouth. With thoughts full of torture, Leandros headed further into the forest.

After only a short while traversing the forest, Leandros had to admit that the rat had a brain. The place was a veritable death trap. A spike trap would have nearly put a hole in his gut if it didn't hit the still enchanted side of his robe. After that, Leandros didn't bother playing games. Trees, plants and animals were all cut down in the wake of Leandros' path of destruction through the forest as he followed the scent of blood.

The trail led onwards for some time before it came to a stop in a clearing where the canopies above opened into the night sky. In front of Leandros was a patch of disturbed ground. Sticks, rocks and leaves were arranged over it in a way that mimicked the surrounding area but stank of human intervention. Leandros sent his spear flying towards the ground and it went into the pitfall trap that lay there beyond. Was the rat trying to insult him? Did it really think that he would fall for such an obvious trick? The trail of blood had stopped, but the scent of blood was still thick in the air.

“Just come out and make this easier for the both of us,” Leandros said.

Silence. There was some slight shuffling from a tree to Leandro’s left. His spear spiraled through the tree, but found nothing.

Leandros walked further into the clearing, the moons above providing a spotlight over the area. Something was wrong with the scent of blood. There was a rank, earthy smell that now suffused the area. It oozed out of the pitfall trap in the middle of the clearing and leaning over the edge Leandros looked down into the pit. Guts and intestines were strewn across the pit’s walls, the smell of human blood becoming untraceable in the rotting entrails below.

“The rat is nothing if not good at hiding.” Leandros spat.

“Are you sure it's not because you’re just lousy at finding people?” said a voice from behind Leandros.

Leandros whirled around, his spear already mid-flight to strike at… air.

“See what I mean? You sure do suck at this.”

Leandros paused. The voice always seemed to come from behind him, but that couldn’t be right. It was magic, then. But what kind? Leandros thought for a moment.

“Thinking about something?” said the voice, still from behind Leandros’ back. “Let me guess, you’re thinking about what to have for dinner tonight. Might I recommend some mushroom paste?”

“An Empath.” Leandros muttered, his words dripping with disgust. “Fitting that the rat is also a mind parasite.”

“It’s also fitting that ‘Vlad the Impaler’ is going to be killed by a bunch of wooden spikes.”

Before Leandros could interpret what those words meant, a hand reached out from the pit and jabbed a wooden spike into his left calf. Leandros sank to his knees, but not before turning around and sending his spear hurtling at the rat. The spear struck dirt, but Leandros was able to catch a sliver of movement disappearing into a small tunnel hidden by entrails.

“I am going rip your eyes out and shove them down your throat!” Leandros shouted past gritted teeth.

Leandros looked down at his calf wound. Gripping the spike, Leandros yanked it out with a suppressed grunt. Black ooze dribbled out from the gaping hole that was left behind, a tingling numbness already spreading outwards to the rest of his leg. Poison. A coward’s weapon.

The rat was going to wait it out then? Let poison do the work while he skulked in the shadows like a scavenger waiting for the last breath of its predator?

No, things were not going to end how the rat wanted them to. Leandros clutched his leg. His Stigma burned a searing hole in the core of his chest. The moment he entered this world it had hungered, eager to be released. Even now it pulled and struggled against the chains that were Leandros’ body. Leandros hesitated. Could he risk letting it out even for a few seconds? Already the pressure was building in his organs, he could feel the tears threatening to rip him apart. Leandros shook his head. He had no choice.

Leandros opened his gates. His Stigma burst forth in a tidal wave of magical energy. His leg seized up and the exposed flesh turned into to black iron. With his wound isolated in metal, Leandros tried to stop his Stigma from going any further. But the Stigma was having none of it. It was freed and it cared not for the whims of the fleshy body that held it back. Leandros looked on with horror as the black iron crept further along his leg, fully engulfing his foot and greedily lapping his kneecaps.

Leandros forced his gates shut like a dam before a tsunami. His Stigma raged at being caged once again, ramming against Leandros’ mental defenses with a howling fury. The gates held, but the resultant recoil sent shockwaves through Leandros’ body, rupturing his blood vessels and rattling his bones. Blood dripped out of his eyes, ears and nose. However, he had done it. The poison was stopped and Leandros could worry about turning his leg back into flesh later.

“Nice trick. You learn that back in Transylvania?”

Leandros looked up just in time to see a rock strike his head. The blow left him reeling, yet more blood dripping down across his face. From across the pit Leandros locked eyes with the rat. The rat stuck out his tongue and fled into the forest thicket beyond the clearing.

No. No more of this. It was time to end this game of hide and seek. Leandros stood up and limped after the rat, his metal leg trailing behind him. The moment he caught sight of the rat he would use his Stigma one last time to encase the rat in solid iron. Then he could think of a way to find the failsafe. If only he hadn’t let it slip from his grasp he wouldn’t have been in this mess. But no matter, a thing of that power had to make waves in a backwater world like this. All he had to do was follow the right signs and a virgin world ripe for the picking was his to claim.

Leandros just had to kill that rat. His existence was an insult to mages, made all the worse by the fact that he was a mind parasite! Leandros could not rest easy until he saw the rat’s corpse dangling from his spear. Leandros was close to the edge of the clearing now. Fire. Yes, that was it. Once he reached the thicket he would start a fire and burn out the rat. There would be no place to hide if it was all ashes. Leandros took step after heavy step towards the thicket, a gout of flame already forming in his hand. Just a few steps closer and…

Just like that it was already over.

Leandros stepped forwards but his foot did not hit solid ground. Instead, it fell into a small concealed hole onto a spike that was laid at the bottom. With the weight of Leandros’ body leaning onto his foot the spike pierced flesh, not all the way through the bone, but enough for poison to start circulating into Leandros’ bloodstream. Leandros’ end would not come from glorious battle but as a result of a slow, pathetic death.

Leandros attempted to stop the spread of poison through his body by converting his other leg into iron. This turned out to be a mistake as his Stigma, having tasted freedom twice, no longer accepted imprisonment. A wave of metal magic shot out from Leandros’ arms and turned his limbs to metal. The plague of iron slowly crept up his body despite Leandros’ attempts at stopping it. At best he could only delay the inevitable. Half an hour passed and Leandros’ spear and spike dropped dead at his side. He could no longer maintain the focus necessary to keep them afloat.

Soon after Kai stepped out of the thicket and charged towards the two implements. He picked them up and ran back into the forest. Leandros tried to call the spear back, but it was already too far away to receive his commands.

Another hour passed. From the arms and the waist down Leandros was iron. Kai came out of the thicket again and stood before the mage.

“You lost the black box?” Kai whispered.

Leandros scoffed, “One of the marvels of modern day magic and he calls it a ‘black box’.”

Kai sent his fist into Leandros’ jaw with a resounding crack.

“Where is it?!” Kai shouted.

“You’re the damn mind parasite, so you should realize that I don’t know! It could be anywhere in this world!” Leandros shouted back.

Kai put both his hands on his head, a look of disbelief plastered across his face. After a moment he shook his head and began walking away from Leandros.

“Where are you going?” Leandros asked.

“To find the black box.” Kai replied.

“In case your ears have stopped working it is like I said: It could have been sent anywhere in this world. No, worse than that, it could be in the hands of whatever savage natives live here and carted off to be used in some brutish ritual. You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into, do you?”

“I know enough.” Kai waved a hand goodbye as he walked away.

He was at the edge of the clearing when he heard Leandros shout, “Wait!”

Kai turned around. “What?”

“End me.” Leandros spat. “End me or I’ll find you and make you regret letting me live.”

A moment passed between them. Leandros tried to keep his mind as empty of thoughts as possible but in the end Kai just smiled. “Nah. I think I’ll just let you become a statue.”

Rage burst forth in waves from Leandros. “You think I can’t get out of this?! You’ll regret this, you hear me?! I’ll find you and gouge your eyes out and hang you by your own intestines!”

His empty promises fell over the growing silence of the clearing.

Two hours passed. Leandros’ torso was solid iron now, but he wasn’t dead. His Stigma refused to let him die. Even though he should have suffocated long ago when his lungs turned to iron he still continued to remain conscious. It was a metalmancer’s worst nightmare. Leandros had heard horror stories of men encased in iron who had remained conscious for hundreds of years, their minds nothing more than a babbling mass of incoherence. Their only shared similarity was that they all begged for death.

Despite his attempts at keeping calm Leandros could feel dread begin to creep into his mind. Dread and fear. Leandros tried to kill himself by twisting his own neck, but to no avail.

Another hour passed. The iron was up to his neck. How long could he expect to stay conscious for before his sanity gave way? A year? Ten years? Decades? It didn’t matter. No one would be able to hear his screams in his immortal cage. Leandros was doomed to a fate worse than death.

Yet, Leandros’ doom was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.

Leandros looked up at Kai. In his hands was a freshly grinded stone axe that gleamed in the pale din of moonlight.

Despite himself, Leandros laughed. Blood spluttered from his mouth.

“What’s so funny?” Kai asked.

Leandros stared into Kai’s eyes. Another moment of silence passed between them and it was Kai who was the first to look away.

“As I thought,” Leandros said. “A soft-hearted fool like you won’t be able to survive in this world.”

Kai’s grip on the axe tightened.“Just- Just close your eyes so we can get this over with.”

Leandros opened his mouth, paused, then shut it. In the end, he closed his eyes while shaking his head.

Three blows echoed through the forest. The first two resounded with a peal of stone, not against metal, but against bone. The last blow did not echo as loudly, but merely ended in the burial of Kai’s stone axe in a breached sphere of gray matter.

Kai collapsed to the ground and it was a long time before he was able to stand. When he stood, he took the axe out from Leandros and threw it as hard as he could. It sailed further into the forest and disappeared into the dark.

With his work done, Kai limped back towards the stream. There was a hollow tree there where he had set up the bonfire. It would be a place to climb into, lay his head down and sleep for the night. When he got to the campsite he did just that. He climbed into the hollow. He laid his head down. He shut eyes.

Yet, in the darkness of pretend sleep he could not ignore the message that appeared.

Ravenous has reached lvl. 2