บท 2: The Encounter of a Lifetime

After following the shore line for a while we arrived at a cave, its entrance protruding above ground, squashed between two trees. It stopped at the entrance and looked back at me as if signaling me to go in first, so I did. It had marks on the inside, nicks and cracks alike, it seemed as if it had been here before. Yet still all the stalagmites and stalactites were fully intact, I was careful not to break them. For some strange reason they were clear like glass a blue hue radiating from them. It was not absurd at that point to assume some creature had inhabited the cave before and had ice magic, yet still I doubted it, the cracks seemed to be frozen over and the immediate ice looked brittle, new.

The cave was not huge but it was big enough that the animal could stand. Though coming through the entrance it had to bow itself. It sat relatively close to the entrance of the cave looking out into the infinite darkness of night that only seemed to be interrupted by the struggling rays of the crescent moon. It would be a cold night, and based on the air that was blowing out of the cave it seemed there was an underground system, though the only thing I could make out that was not in my immediate vicinity was a dark spot, supposedly the entrance to go further into the cave. It would be cold but as long as I stayed close to the animal I would be fine, so I did.

I soon fell asleep without realizing it. I was exhausted both mentally and physically. It was my first day in a new world after all, a lot had happened in just the span of a day. I had fallen through what I could only assume to be a worm hole into another world blind and with unanswered questions in what seemed to be a wilderness. I had given myself over once already maybe twice, experienced magic and befriended a majestic creature. Though there were many unknowns I did not give up on life until it seemed as if there was no escape, I felt joy in my ability to hold onto my will to live even if just a little. In a situation like this most people would have most likely gone mad or broken down maybe even committing suicide. I was rather strong but everything has a price and I had payed the price for this strength in my past. The weight of unwanted expectations, being forced to peruse another's failed dream, to become a slave to an ambition that is not your own, not even being given a choice. To throw away all your dreams and aspirations for that of another's, to become a medium for them to live their dreams through, though only a child and the cherry on top, it was by the same people who should have encouraged me and given me the choice to peruse my dream, to become who I wanted to be. That was my hell, I waited for someone to save me but no one came. It was then I decide it was not worth dieing for anyone , for those who wouldn't save me. Though even in my despair I could become a better person. I decided to help others, for watching someone suffer would do no good, it would only remind me of my own experience, not to mention how hypocritical it would be if I had the ability to save someone and didn't. There was no justification for allowing someone else to feel similar pain or any pain for that matter, not if I could help, at least that's what I thought, maybe I was projecting. At this point only one thing had changed I was given the chance and I escaped that box, I vowed I would not put myself in another or allow someone to do the same. Even if I had to die to protect the freedom I had, I would do so, for I was the only person I would die for.

A shadowy figure darted around in the darkness of the night, the moonlight catching its body, a murky glow left in its wake. A large cat like animal could be seen, Its under belly and stern covered in large overlapping plates. It sliced through the air with its stream like body.

I heard a loud collision, the cave shook a bit, the geological features inside cracked, I sprung awake, confused and alert.

As I looked to the front of the cave I could see two figures clashing, one familiar one not. As I ran to entrance of the cave, the sun began to rise. The rays of light slowly enveloped the two creatures. A panther, or so it seemed at first, but it wasn't. It had pitch black eyes, an ominous aura seemed to cover its whole body. The places where its armor didn't cover were ordained with purple to black fur, some places even touching the ground, its canines reaching out of its mouth, its large claws riling up the ground as it moved.

Thoughts filled my head as I started to panic, ("will the bull be able to win?") , ("were we being followed?") , ("why now?").

Though through all of this, I refused to give up, to give up on this world, this companion I had come to appreciate and likewise myself. I watched carefully, making sure to calm down before I missed anything important. Then, it begun, they started circling each other, both keeping the other in full view, I made sure to be out of view, I hid behind one of the two trees that stood at the caves entrance. The panther attacked first, lunging towards the head of the other, as it moved steam rose from its mouth. It was futile, it was quickly blown away by the bulls magic. This limbo was continued six more times. It was at this moment I realized what it was trying to do. The bull began to stagger as if weakened in some way, upon further inspection I could see the concentration of magic energy within its body drop substantially, its body couldn't keep up with its usage of magic. The fact that these creatures also used magic energy for respiration meant they had to use magic sparingly or they would collapse.

This was now a battle of endurance, but the panther up to this point hadn't been using magic. It was set up to win. There was only one problem, I was on the bull's side. I mustered up all the courage I could, grabbed my flint knife and ran out onto the battlefield. I couldn't let it die, if it died I would soon be next, even if I ran there's no telling how long I would last without my companion or how long it would take to catch up to me. I hardened my body and did the same for the knife. This was no longer a battle of endurance but one of wits. I had to figure something out and quickly. I noticed before that there was no armor at its side, I would have to attack from there, it was my only hope, but how. I was sure it wouldn't allow me to get near it, I would need an opportunity.

Again it took that familiar pose, reading itself to attack and it did. This time the bull couldn't put up a fight. The creature latched onto the neck of the bull, reminiscent of a real panther. Its teeth didn't seem to get far, as the bull resisted with all its might, dashing and flailing, though this only encouraged the panther to sink its claws in for stability. It soon became futile as the sound of steam whistling out of the panthers fangs soon filled the air. It couldn't kill the bull with only its teeth as they were too short, it was trying to get the behemoth to overheat. I caught a glance of the color it was using to create steam but right then I thought it wasn't important. I dashed to its side being wary of its claws. I gathered all my strength and jabbed the blade into its side, but it didn't let up, it only flinched. I could only assume it had prioritized killing the bull first as it was the bigger threat. I had seconds to figure something out.

Then it hit me. I would do the same thing the panther was doing, the blade didn't seem to reach far enough to pierce any vital organs so I had to get creative. I immediately began to focus, I mimicked what I had seen. A white color mixed with blue. I did the same. Upon pouring my magical energy into the knife, steam began to pour out into its body. Its eyes locked onto me, I could tell it was working. Soon enough its own steam stopped and it separated form the bull throwing me back a couple feet, its joint getting to me before its claws, luckily.

It began to step back slowly, eyeing up both of us, its glare stopping me in my tracks, it was as if I was pinned down by its weight. It now recognized me as a threat, but it was too late. My blade lodged in its side blood began to pour out, boiling hot. It began to vomit before ultimately collapsing. I had succeeded in doing what it didn't. It had gotten a heatstroke. As soon as it fell, I was free. I wasted no time finishing what I had started I garbed hold of the blade and thrust it further in continuing my assault of steam, it even began to come out of its mouth. Its body began to gyrate and contort in pain, a form of resistance but it was futile, all movement within its body soon stopped as it lay there, dead. Sighing in relief I looked back at my companion, soon after it fell to the ground.

It didn't get a stroke but its temperature was still far above what it should have been.

I restated my attention to the beast I had just killed. It was huge, about five feet long and a few feet wide. I began to inspect its body. The plates on its back as well as its front could be used for armor. I took note of this. Its fur and skin could also be used to make clothes and the rest of my armor. Its body was rather resilient had I not used magic, I would have not been able to bring it down or much less pierce its thick hide.

I soon began to butcher the creature hardening the knife with magic. I took all I could get only leaving behind the flesh, bones and organs as they could be poisonous, I even took its claws and fangs.

Its claws could be used as knives, this was evident by the claw wounds on the bull, though not deep, precise. They were also hard and naturally imbued with magic, not to mention their sharpness it was as if I had a razor in my hands. I was mindful not to cut myself.

The fangs could be attached to a handle, or even gloves and be used as a weapon.

As I finished the butcher I painstakingly dragged its remains deeper into the forest as to hopefully distract any would be predators.

When I returned I saw the bull laying in the lake. It was cooling off. Not long after it got up and started staring at the surface of the water, I thought it was a crocodile or something but to my surprise. It caught a fish just like a bear, it was fascinating to say the least.

I had no time to focus on this as I had just been given the chance to make more durable and safer clothing and armor. I got the strips of leaves I had and braided them into thread. I would not need them immediately but it was good to prepare. I hung up the hide on low hanging branches to dry and scraped out the remainder of flesh on the inner parts of the large black armor plating, there were large pores on the inside, most likely for structural integrity and weight reduction. I then washed them with the water of the lake and set them to dry.

I undressed and took a bath in the lake as I had not done so in a while and there was blood all over my body and clothes. As I sat there I watched the bull catch more fish, I knew one wouldn't be enough, but I had bigger fish to fry. I put my clothes back on after washing them and began making apparels out of the materials I had harvested. I took the various materials and started to construct the armor.

I first cut the hide into smaller pieces. Using one of the claws I had, I then bore holes into the hide and sewed them to the armor plating using the pores of its back side, and the rigid thatch leaves cut into strands and braded. I did this until I had a vest of sorts. I used the smaller armored plantings to repeat the process and created pants and sleeves.

Most of the remaining hide I used to create a cloak, this would protect me from the elements. I even created a small bag.

As I was getting used to my new armor the bull approached me with a fish in its mouth, surprisingly it looked normal. It dropped it in front of me and and bowed, I felt a cold air cover and pass through my body, as I payed more attention I saw traces of the bulls magic power inside laying dormant, it must have been a mark or something of the like. I thought to myself maybe I could replicate it if necessary. I didn't have use for the information so I just memorized it. It seemed to be grateful that I saved its life and gave me something back in return.

I gathered wood from around the area and lit a small fire to cook the fish, ensuring to dig a hole to prevent the fire from spreading. As I roasted it, my companion sat beside me, fascinated by what I was doing. It was a large fish so I cut it in half and gave it to my friend. It spent no time waiting and ate it all. It seemed to enjoy it. I ate the fish and I noticed nothing out of the ordinary it tasted like a normal fish. It was the only normal thing here I thought to myself satisfied. As the fire burned down to coals I took a piece of hide and burned off all the fur, when this was done I sewed it together to make a water pouch and used a shaven piece of wood to clog it, I then found a rock with a deep curve in it and used it to boil water. The water didn't taste good but it was all I had and it was refreshing none the less. I ensured not to get carried away and saved some.

With my new found protection I decided to wonder the shores a bit more and so I did. I continued to follow the shore line and as I got around the trees I saw a bridge, white washed. It was made of stone cut and stacked on each other, but it was very old, there were even chunks of railing and other parts of the bridge missing. Vines creeped up onto it from the bottom up, forming a more intricate web the more it went up. The bridge spanned the entire length of the lake, it had withstood the test of time.

On the other side I saw what seemed to be a town on a plain in the distance. Though I could see it I knew it would be far. I thought it was time to leave the forest and to learn more about this new fantastical place I found myself in.

I went back into the forest and gathered more of the spiky fruit, peeling and wrapping it in leaves before stashing them in my bag with the remaining fangs and claws. It seemed to be midday so I decided to take the hike. I went back to the cave and bid my friend goodbye, it was truly sad, this was the second friend I had made in all of my life. I approached my companion and spoke out loud hoping it would understand.

"I'm leaving, I cant stay here, I'll have to find out more about this world, I cant stay cooped up here for the rest of my life." I said peering upwards into its eyes.

It walked towards me as if it knew what I was saying, bowed its head and pressed it against my chest. I returned its sentiment with a hug. It hadn't been long but the time we spent together was truly that of a life time, or at least it was to me.

It backed away and slowly walked back into the forest. I would have been lying if I said I wasn't waiting for the familiar signal, but it never came. A tear would have come to my eye, if I remembered how to cry that is. I too turned my back and began to walk. My journey had finally begun and there was no turning back now.