“And that’s what happened.” The Dryad sisters had just finished telling their story to Lloyd. The Satyr Lashley was off to the side, smoking his pipe.They were all tired and drained. The dryad sisters had used their healing magic, but it was Lashley who had done most of the work. He cleaned and stitched the wounds, then applying a medicinal paste he made himself. He was quiet for the most part during the story, but when they had finished their story, he finally spoke up.

“Son, those beings did a number on your soul. Dark magic is no joke. Even right now, that shit is eating away at you. I say you have about 6 months before it gets devoured.”

‘5 months, 29 days, 8 hours, 24 minutes and 54 seconds and counting.’ The system gave him exact time, it was one of the many notifications he saw upon waking up. Besides battle logs and telling him how he got his ass handed to him, the only other important thing was that he leveled up ]Anger], boosting the buff.

Lloyd looked at the Satyr. He was gruff, had a gray goatee, and was mostly bald. He stood shorter than him, at about 5’ even, although his horns made him close to 5’4. When he spoke, it sounded gravelly.

“Is there a way to fix this?”

Lashley took a long drag from his pipe. When he spoke, smoke curled from his lips, dancing in the still air. “You can strengthen your body, sharpen your mind, open your eyes to the world of magics and sorceries, but this is a matter of the soul. There aren’t many masters of the soul that aren’t a god. But thankfully, I know of one. There’s a monastery in the Himalayas. Go there, and find a man named Eiji. He is known as “Soul Master”. Maybe he could help you.”

Lloyd smiled, “That’s great! I’ll go see him after I find my family.”

“You’re not going to him right now? Boy, this is your life you’re playing with. Are you sure you can’t just see them later?”

Lloyd thought about how much has happened since he’s seen them. It's been 3 years since he moved away, and yeah, they called and texted and facetimed, but he hasn’t seen them in person since he left. And with the breakup and everything else going on, he honestly just wanted to be home.

“I’m sure about this.”

“Whatever you decide, there’s still the shadows. What are you gonna do about them?”

“They’re magic right? You could teach me something to dispel them.”

“They’re not magic, they were created from magic with the purpose of hunting you down! You can’t dispel them. Anyways, I’m a sage, not a mage, I don’t use much magic, especially for fighting. The best way to get rid of them would be to take down Wozzeck.” You can’t do it at your current level though.”

“What do you think I should do then?”

Lashley eyed him seriously. “Hunt”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘I was never much of a hunter as a kid, but I guess you just never know.’

Lashley had told him the location of a local coyote den. Something weak, close to the domain and far away enough from the shadows. He was told that if he wanted to go home, he had to show Wozzeck he wasn’t someone to be messed with, but to do that, he had to get stronger.

With a rock in hand, he made off towards the den, moving quickly and quietly as he could.

CRUNCH

...Which to be fair, wasn’t that quiet.

It wasn’t long before he found them though. How did he know he was there? Well, there was one standing right in front of him! It came out of the bushes and took off. Lloyd was quick to react, angering himself, then following it and catching up. He tackled it to the ground, and while it snapped and clawed, Lloyd had begun smashing the rock until the screen showed.

[You have successfully killed [Coyote Beta] in combat! Please choose a reward!

1 High Grade

2 Medium Grades

3 Low Grades.

Please choose carefully!]

As soon as the death notification popped up, he could hear the howls and barks of the rest of the pack. He selected his reward and……

[You have gained the skill [Beastly Instincts]]

[Beastly Instincts lvl 1: Your natural instinct calls out to you strongly. They alert you of danger, of prey and predators and possible opportunities. They can be valuable, but beware, because there could be some unexpected consequences to such strong instincts. The higher your perception related stats, the more accurate your instincts. Rank B]

[Stat Gains:

Perception: 10]

He didn’t need instincts to tell him to run the other way, he knew that in his right mind. But his [Anger] didn’t know when to quit. It was a nasty skill, one that apparently affected skills that had an effect on his brain. The mammalian brain was fighting against the inner reptilian brain and made Lloyd’s body come to a halt. Internally he was panicking. He tried [Suppress Anger], but with his [Anger] skill being stronger, and his instincts slowly being won over, it just didn’t work like it used to.

But it was futile, before he knew it, the pack surrounded him. They weren’t far at all. They were, in fact, waiting to ambush the human, but he was more dangerous than was thought, which ended in one of their own being killed. The alpha stared at him in contempt. He was angry himself, and barked for his pack to attack. They were coordinated, attacked only when another was out of the way, and the Alpha had skills that boosted his pack, making them a deadly force.

Lloyd wasn’t taking a beating though. When that fist coyote attacked, his mind aligned with a single goal and his body snapped into action.He bobbed and weaved out of the attacks. He was faster than them, and [Beastly Instincts] substituted for actual experience. His [Anger] boosted his agility stat up to 16 flat, being on par with state champion athletes. But the agility stat did more than increase his speed. It helped with his reaction time, hand-eye coordination, flexibility and so much more. It was like being a soccer player, gymnast and track star all in one. And to cap it off, he had received a notification from the system.

[Your body has acquired the skill [Cat-Like Reflexes] due to you being accustomed to your skill [Feline Agility]]

[Cat-Like Reflexes lvl 1: Your body reacts faster to danger and pleasure. Certain stimuli will gain your attention and cause you to react. You have obtained a weakness to catnip. Rank E]

[Weakness: Catnip: When ingesting catnip, you will receive the [Stoned] debuff. Your mental processes are 20% Slower. Your reaction and balance are cut by 50%. Your agility is increased by 50%]

[Stat gains:

Reaction: 10

Hand-Eye Coordination: 10]

His eyes glossed over the notification, and his body accelerated. He was responding to the danger faster and with less hesitation. But in the end, it became a numbers game.

The pack of coyotes, one Alpha, his mate and three others, kept the pressure rising, performing riskier tactics and wearing Lloyd down.

Lloyd had barely managed to connect any strikes, and they were giving him serious trouble. The wear and tear on his body, combined with the pressure had turned his instincts away from continuing the fight.

He sidestepped a Beta and jumped over another, barely clearing it. He was free of the encirclement, and as a man with newfound freedom, he ran for his life.

The pack of coyotes followed him. They had their prey on the run, and he was injured. They kept the assault on, but the human was gaining ground little by little. They tried herding him, only for him to jump over their heads or swiftly change directions.

Lloyd was panting, he couldn't keep this up forever. Even with all his stats and skills, he didn't have anything for Stamina. He kept pushing though. After every stumble, and every close call, he kept at it. But those stumbles began adding up. The pack of coyotes was gaining ground! And then the unthinkable happened.

'Shit'

POP

"FUCKING HELL!"

His foot landed in a hole and from the force of his momentum, twisted in a way it shouldn't. He crawled up, and tried to run, but it hurt like hell. His running speed was greatly reduced. He looked back and saw how close the pack was, and in a last ditch effort, scrambled up a tree. It hurt, but he would rather be in pain than torn to shreds.

He climbed atop a branch and watched as his pursuers gathered. 'Same situation again right? I'm on my own again. Dying again.' He touched the scar on his stomach. 'And no angel to save me. I guess this is all my life is for me.' His anger was building up. 'This is my life huh? A series of unfortunate events.' He saw the pack eyeing him, teeth bared. It looked as if the alpha was growling but he couldn't hear it. 'No angel here, nothing to save me. I guess I'm on my own then.'

[You have become [Enraged]]

[All stats increase by 50%]

[You will lose consciousness in…

5…

4….

3….

2….

1….

[You are [Unconscious]]

He smiled as his body fell to the sharp teeth and claws below.

All my life, I had an angel by my side. She looks normal, but she's an angel, and I told her so.

"You're gonna be OK, everything's gonna be OK. I promise." She looked majestic. The street lamp above her head made a halo, and the cold air turned their breaths into wisps of a cloud. His only thought was that heaven should have been warmer.

He reached up and touched her face with bloodied fingers.

"Hey angel……"

She tried to give a warm smile as she continued applying pressure to his bleeding wound.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unlike last time, it didn't take long for Lloyd to wake up. His instincts were screaming at him to run, hide, to do something besides sleep.

His body was sore and covered in wounds, but he managed to run a few yards before collapsing. He gathered his strength and in a last ditch effort, he managed to climb the nearest tree. It took everything in him not to fall back unconscious. Thankfully, he hadn't.

Lloyd could feel it before he could see it. He could feel the tremors of each step it took. When it came into sight, all he could do was stare at it in awe. It was a grizzly bear, but easily 3 times the size of one. It was huge, even bigger than his old pickup truck. And it was fucking jacked. Even a blind man could see the muscles underneath all the fur. If this thing were to seriously come after him, the only thing he could do would be to accept his fate.

But that never came. The bear stopped at the pile of dead coyotes, sniffed them, and began munching on them. Apparently it had no interest in its little observer.

Lloyd waited there, afraid to move. After a few minutes he began to relax and leaned against the tree he was in. He wasn’t too far up, maybe 15 feet.

He began to go through his system notifications.

[You are no longer [Unconscious]]

[You have successfully killed [Coyote Beta]x4, in combat! Please choose a reward!

1 High Grade

2 Medium Grades

3 Low Grades.

Please choose carefully!]

[You have successfully killed [Coyote Alpha] in combat! Please choose a reward!

1 High Grade

2 Medium Grades

3 Low Grades.

Please choose carefully!]

[Please note that more combatants defeated gives better rewards.]

[Because of your almost constant state of bleeding, you have acquired the Resistance [Bleeding 10%] Please bleed less.]

[You have obtained the skill [Basic Regeneration]]

[Basic Regeneration lvl 1: Your body’s natural healing process is enhanced, but don’t expect to be Wolverine with just the Basic version. Cannot regenerate limbs.]

[Stat Gains:

Regeneration: 11]

[You have obtained 1 Perk]

[Please select your rewards]

‘Two rewards huh? I like it.’

It was an easy choice for him for the [Coyote Alpha]. He picked the High grade reward, and the result was pretty much what he expected.

[You have gained the skill [Alpha]]

[Alpha lvl 1: You are now an Alpha of your species! Being an Alpha grants you a 25% in your top three stats, the C Rank skill [Alpha Aura], and 1 extra Perk point! Other alphas and some strong individuals, will see you as a threat and challenge, others may flock to you. You raise the level of this skill by defeating similar or stronger Alphas or by leading your group effectively. Rank A]

[Alpha Aura lvl 1: You emit an aura of strength that dares others to challenge you. This skill levels when the skill [Alpha] does]

[Stat Gains:

Control: 13 x 1.25 =(16.25)

Strength: 12 x 1.25=(15)

Agility: 12 x 1.25=(15)]

[User has evolved to [Alpha Human]]

He stared at that last bit blankly.

‘I thought evolutions were supposed to be painful’

He began to look at his body. Besides his muscles getting firmer and his biceps bigger, he hadn’t noticed a change. He brought up the screen with his body’s date and began to take a really good look at himself. This was his first time doing this since things started yesterday. It was hard to believe this started just yesterday.

His body was a lot more muscular and leaner than it was just a few days ago. He wondered how long this could keep up. How long his body and mind could keep up. These thoughts had no meaning to the present however, just musings.

He looked back at the two matters he had to settle. The other reward and the Perk. Lloyd decided to use the Perk after the reward. But he had to think about this reward, it wasn't just a one and done deal. The reward should be better since there was more than one opponent, so wouldn't it be a waste to just get the 1 high grade? After all, if he chose the low grade rewards, then there would be more right? That was his way of thinking at least.

[You have gained the skill [Beast Claws]]

[You have gained the skill [Canine Fangs]

[You have gained the skill [Enhanced Olfactory Senses]

[Beast Claws lvl 1: Claws of a beast extend from your fingertips, about 1 ½ inches. The higher the level, the stronger and sharper they get. Rank F]

[Canine Fangs lvl 1: Your teeth become that of a canine's, and your mouth slightly juts out more. Your face and teeth become more dog-like as this skill level increases. Rank F]

[Enhanced Olfactory Senses lvl 1: Your sense of smell becomes more keen and you can smell from a farther distance. Rank F]

[Because of your new 'leash' on life, [Beastly Instincts] has leveled up to 3! Good boy, Fido!]

He was able to give that last message a nasty look right before the changes took place. He started to feel pain in his mouth, like every tooth was on fire. He felt his mouth become full with blood, and when he spit it out, his teeth came along with it. The pain of having new teeth came next, but instead of it happening over a period of days, this happened in seconds!

While this was happening, Lloyd's nose and throat became dry, almost painfully, and his fingernails and toenails grew at a monstrous rate, tapering at the end.

Within seconds, it was all over and Lloyd was left gasping for air. He had used every ounce of his willpower to not scream and alert the best nearby. He looked over and saw it lazily munching on the coyote meat. He breathed out a sigh and looked at himself on the status page.

What those skills said were true. His ha fs had grown claws, and sharp teeth lined his mouth, which jutted out a tiny bit further than what it was. It was unsettling looking at something that was almost him.

After looking at himself, he began to notice the changes. He was able to smell the coyote meat as if it were next to him. And the grizzly, which smelled unbearable. His tongue traced his new teeth while his claws traced his skin. 'This doesn't feel right, but it doesn't feel wrong either. Like it's just happening'

His mind was a hazy gray, questions where all of this was headed to.

His instincts kicked in however, and he looked up. Across from him was an old man. This old man had a face full of wrinkles and hatred. His gray hair was caked with mud and leaves, and his beard went down all the way to his naval. His robe was tattered and stained and his staff was made from a black wood that twisted in unnatural ways. This was Wozzexk, Lashley had said he was a Leshy, a trickster woodland spirit from around Russia.

"I can't stand you Americans" when he talked, it was with a thick Russian accent. "Why must you come here and kill when everything had just started?"

"I hadn't meant to cause trouble. I was on my way home when I was attacked."

Wozzeck twisted his face, he had already heard the story and didn't want to hear it again."You got attacked and defended yourself, and now your killing for what purpose? So you could take me down?"

Lloyd stared at him blankly. He had been found out and couldn't say a thing.

"Did that damn goat tell you I made the shadows?"

Silence ensued again

"What fuxking business do I have with Shadows? I am a woodland spirit, not a goddamn grave robber. That damn goat lied to you, and you believed it! Foolish American."

Lloyd's face converted in rage. "Just wait a second. Lashley can't even do magic. And he healed. E when YOUR Shadows attacked me. He's innocent!"

"Innocent you say? Don't say I didn't warn you." He turned around and took a step into the tree, but paused and said, "I have put up a barrier around these woods. Nobody in, nobody out. It won't go down until either I die, or that damn goat does. Happy hunting, damn idiot American." He then literally stepped into the tree and disappeared.

All Lloyd was left with was questions. It looked as if he was caught in some spiritual feud. He didn't like being the pawn, no matter which side was right. It made him angry. He wanted something to vent his frustrations out on, but the only thing nearby was that big ass bear, and he wasn't going to fuck with that.

His stomach growled and his body ached. Honestly, he wasn't going to vent anything any time soon.

He gingerly climbed down from the tree, trying his best not to disturb the giant bear. He checked to make sure he wasn't noticed, and then left, headed in the direction of where he encountered the first coyote, that's where he dropped his bag.

It took him almost an hour of walking to get to the location, and another half hour to find his things. Luckily, nothing was touched.

He went through his bag and pulled out a can of ravioli and a bottle of water. He had three cans and two bottles left, along with three changes of clothes, a map, a fire starter, rope, and a sleeping bag. When he left his ex girlfriend's house, he grabbed everything he owned, and when he left his truck, he took what he believed were the essentials.

He pulled the tab on the ravioli and greedily at it, then chugging the bottle of water. He then unrolled his sleeping bag, and proceeded to pass out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The forest raged on through the night. Beasts battled each other, killing the other, gaining their strength. Some plants had even joined in the fray. This behavior began since the dawn of the System. Every creature had it, and while some were slower on the uptake, it was undeniable that world was becoming more dangerous as the seconds passed by.