Chapter 11: The Base
Tyler’s heart hammered against his ribs like a bird thrashing in a cage. He swallowed, but his throat was sandpaper dry. *It’s like that monster I saw in the forest the other day,* he thought, panic rising. *But this one is bigger... and its level is far higher.*
"Close your eyes and cover your ears!" James screamed, his voice cutting through the tension. "Now!"
Before Tyler could obey, the bird unfurled its wings in a sweeping, majestic arc. Instantly, the feathers began to ripple and change. They bled into one another, a swirling vortex of neon greens, violent purples, and burning reds that twisted like a living kaleidoscope.
A translucent blue panel materialized in the air: PIXEL HAS ACTIVATED SKILL: HYPNOTIZE.
Tyler ignored the warning. His gaze was locked, hopelessly snared by the shifting light. The world around him seemed to fade into a dull blur, leaving only the creature in sharp, terrifying focus.
"Whoa..." The word slipped from his lips, breathless and dreamy. "It's... so beautiful."
His feet began to move on their own accord, shuffling him closer to the beast. Unbeknownst to him, the color of his irises began to dance, cycling erratically from his natural blue to a dull grey, then a vibrant green, mirroring the monster's plumage.
James had already squeezed his eyes shut, his hands clamped tight over his ears. He ground his teeth together, straining to hear over the pounding of his own heart.
*Damn it,* James thought, panic flaring. *He must be hypnotized. I can hear his footsteps... he's walking right toward it.*
Deep within Tyler’s mind, a small voice screamed in the darkness. *What am I doing? I can't stop myself... it's like my body has been hijacked.*
Suddenly, a grotesque lump distorted the creature's chest, as if something were crawling up its throat from deep inside. The bulge traveled the length of its long neck, pulsing upward until it reached the base of its beak. The Pixel threw its head back and snapped its jaws open.
A torrent of sound erupted.
A sonic wave tore through the clearing, a physical force that slammed into Tyler. His jaw clenched involuntarily, his muscles seizing, and his eyes snapped wide open.
The sheer pressure whipped his hair back violently, flattening his clothes against his skin. His eardrums bulged, a sharp, stinging pressure building deep within his skull, screaming for relief. Even James, bracing himself with his ears covered, was forced to crouch low as the shockwave washed over him.
*It hurts. Make it stop. Please, just make it stop!* Tyler’s mind howled.
Yet, his body remained a traitor. His legs kept moving, dragging him step by step into the jaws of death. The feathers continued their mesmerizing dance, and he remained paralyzed by the trance, tears of sheer agony spilling from his shifting eyes. A warm, dark trickle of blood began to snake from his ears.
James crouched in the darkness behind his eyelids, his knuckles white as he gripped his head.
*Damn it. If I have to save him, I have to risk it,* James decided, his thoughts racing. *The moment I open my eyes, that’s when I activate my skill. If I hesitate and check his position, I risk falling under the spell myself. And if that thing kills him... I'm next.*
*I can’t take it anymore. I feel like I’m going to die,* Tyler thought.
The agony sharpened, radiating through his skull until his mind felt hollow and distant. *Please, help me. I don’t want to die.* James ripped his hands away from his ears. The vibration of the noise slammed into him, a physical weight that pressed against his chest. His jaw muscles bunched, his teeth grinding together as his fingers locked around the hilt of the sword resting on the dirt. He snapped his gaze upward. In one fluid motion, he drove the blade through the air in a rising arc.
A translucent panel flickered into existence before Tyler’s failing vision: Level 48 human has activated skill:Slash.
A shimmering, vertical distortion tore through the air, trailing the edge of the sword. The ripple of energy brushed Tyler’s shoulder, the heat of it grazing his skin, before it collided with the creature’s right wing. The limb separated from the body. The energy continued its path, biting into the trunk of the tree behind the creature. The wood groaned and splintered, the trunk splitting in a clean vertical line before the distortion vanished. Thick, azure fluid sprayed from the wound, coating the green leaves in a dark sheen as the creature’s form stopped its frantic shifting. It let out a jagged cry, but the piercing frequency had vanished.
Tyler’s lungs seized. His balance failed, his weight pitching forward until his knees slammed into the dirt and his chest struck the ground.
*Now’s my chance,* James thought. He lunged toward the creature, his boots digging into the soil. Blue liquid poured from the creature's side, but as it tracked James's movement, its throat expanded into a thick, fleshy bulge. *Shit! It’s going to attack. I have to do this quickly.* Tyler’s vision blurred into a smear of green and grey. His breath came in shallow, ragged hitches. Another panel manifested, the light of it burning in his eyes: Level 48 human has activated skill:Thrust.He could no longer pull the words into focus.
The bulge in the creature's neck slid upward toward its beak. Simultaneously, a distortion rippled through the air, a shimmering haze like heat rising from sun-baked stone. The energy flowed from James’s grip, surging down the length of the steel to the very tip as he lunged. The air buckled. As the creature’s beak began to part, a concussive force of compressed air slammed into its chest. The creature’s lungs emptied in a silent, breathless gasp as the pressure tore a jagged hole through its torso. It remained frozen for a heartbeat, then its eyelids slid shut. It toppled onto its side, the weight of it hitting the forest floor as blue fluid pooled beneath it, staining the grass.
James’s chest heaved, his breath coming in heavy, metallic rasps. He turned his head toward Tyler. "Are you alright?"
Tyler heard nothing but a high, thin ringing that drowned out the world. James’s mouth moved, but the voice was a muffled, distant drone. *He killed it. He saved me,* Tyler thought. James moved toward him, and the hazy shape of his face slowly sharpened into focus.
"Hey, kid. Get up," James said.
Tyler’s eyes widened. Above James's head, the translucent bar glowed with a new number.
Level 49
The kill had forced the level to climb.
Tyler locked his jaw and shoved against the dirt, forcing himself up to his knees. James hooked a hand under Tyler’s armpit, the grip firm and stabilizing as he pulled him toward his feet.
"Are you alright?" James asked again.
The words reached Tyler as nothing more than a low, distorted vibration. He shook his head, the movement sending a dull throb through his skull. He raised a hand to the side of his head, wiping a smear of warm, viscous fluid from his ear. He pulled his hand back, staring at the wet crimson coating his fingertips.
"You took a lot of damage there. Can you walk?" James said.
Tyler tracked the movement of James’s lips, sensing the weight of the question without the sound. He tried to pivot, intending to turn away, but the strength vanished from his thighs. His knees buckled. Before he could strike the ground, James’s fingers clamped around his arm, hauling him upward.
*Of course he's not alright,* James thought. *He walked straight into the line of fire and he was exposed for too long. I'm surprised he's still conscious at this point.*
A translucent panel flickered into Tyler’s view.
HP: 19/40
Tyler stared at the glowing digits. *My HP fell all the way to 19. If he took longer to attack that thing, I could have died.*
"Thank you," Tyler said. The words felt thick in his throat, his voice emerging as a dry, ragged rasp.
"No worries, I'm just returning the favor. Come on," James replied. He shifted Tyler’s weight, bracing him as they began to move. "We have to get out of here."
Tyler’s boots dragged through the undergrowth, his legs heavy and unresponsive. *I can't hear a thing he's saying,* Tyler thought. His heart hammered against his ribs, the rhythm fast and erratic. *Did I completely lose my hearing? I'm not going to be deaf forever, am i?*
The question lingered in Tyler’s mind as they navigated the thinning forest, leaving the carcass behind. He glanced over his shoulder. A small system bar labeled Extract hovered over the creature.
*Extract,* Tyler thought.
The creature’s remains shimmered with a faint blue light. In a sudden flash, every feather and its sharp beak vanished.
James didn’t notice. He kept his eyes fixed on the path ahead. *This is dangerous. What if another monster appears? This kid is going to be a liability,* James thought. He looked down at Tyler, who was watching his own feet as they moved. *Still, this kid has a lot of endurance. His level is low, but he’s still conscious after what happened. I thought I would have to carry him, but even with me supporting him, I’m surprised he can still walk. He should be fine; we’re pretty close now.*
After several minutes of trekking through the undergrowth, Tyler let his hand slide off James’s shoulder. "I’m fine. I think I can walk on my own now."
James stopped, his eyebrows rising. *He’s recovered already?* "Come on, don’t strain yourself. Let me help," James said.
Tyler could hear the words now, though the sound felt more like a heavy vibration against his eardrums than a clear voice. "No, it’s fine. I can walk."
James studied him for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Let’s go."
Tyler walked at James’s side. The environment shifted; the trees grew sparse, and the canopy opened up. James pushed through a cluster of bushes, and Tyler followed.
His eyes widened. A large clearing stretched out before them, dominated by a massive wall. The barrier was constructed from enormous logs positioned upright and lashed together with thick, heavy ropes. An opening in the timber served as an entrance.
James gestured toward the gate. "Let’s go."
As they entered the base, Tyler saw a group of men dressed in silver and leather armor heading toward the forest. One carried a bow and a quiver of arrows; another gripped the handle of a massive silver hammer.
*This is insane,* Tyler thought. *I kept wondering why he was wearing those things, but it looks like everyone is. They look like the knights I learned about in history class.*
The men stepped past them, moving toward the monster zone. Tyler turned to James. "Those people... they’re going into the monster zone."
James looked back at him. "Yeah, they’re hunters. They’re probably going to complete a quest. Now that the fog is gone, a lot of them are heading into the zones to finish them."
"Hunters?" Tyler asked, his brow furrowing.
James stopped and turned toward him. "Yes, Hunters. You don't have Hunters where you're from?"
Tyler shook his head. "No." He raised a hand to the back of his head, scratching the skin there. *We don't have any of this where I'm from. I haven't told him I'm from another world yet.*
James watched him for a beat, his eyes narrowing slightly. *Just where exactly does this kid come from?* He turned and resumed walking, his boots thumping against the dirt. Tyler followed, his eyes scanning the surroundings. To his left, several structures rose from the ground, two-story buildings constructed from heavy, rectangular grey bricks. In the distance, more figures in armor emerged from a large brown tent.
James spoke over his shoulder. "I’m gonna need you to explain everything to me once we get to the tent. I have a lot of questions for you."
"Yes, of course," Tyler replied.
As they moved through the camp, two women passed them. Both wore leather armor with swords secured at their hips. One had her black hair pulled back into a ponytail, while the other had blonde hair; they spoke to each other in low, casual tones. The black-haired woman locked her gaze onto Tyler. Instinctively, Tyler’s eyes dropped to the path ahead, his pace faltering for a second. He felt her gaze linger on his back as they walked past.
*I must look weird to them. I'm the only one dressing differently here. Plus, my clothes are all ripped and blooded.*
They reached the large tent. James gripped the heavy canvas, pulling it aside to create an opening. He stepped inside, and Tyler followed.
Tyler let out a long breath as he took in the interior. To his left, hunters sat at long benches and tables. Some talked in hushed voices, while others sat in isolation, their focus entirely fixed on the papers spread before them.
To his right stood a wooden counter. A young woman with red hair was positioned behind it, her head bowed as she studied a massive book. Her finger traced the edge of a page before she slowly turned it. Behind her, a large board was crowded with pinned flyers. Wooden barrels and various tools, swords and pickaxes, were stacked in the shadows behind the board.
James walked toward the woman behind the counter. As she looked up and saw him, her eyes widened.
"I'm back," James said.
The woman let out a long, heavy sigh, her shoulders dropping. "Thank goodness. You had me worried."
James’s voice took on a playful edge. "Oh, so you were worried about me?"
"No, I wasn't," Serena replied, her expression tightening. "You know what I was worried about? If you had died out there, what do you think would happen to them?"
James looked away for a moment. "Yeah, I know. Anyway, you were right when you said I shouldn't have gone hunting today. I came back before I even finished the quest."
Serena’s face clouded with disappointment. "So you turned back before you even got them?"
"Yeah, but I almost died when I was attacked by several monsters on the way here," James said, raising a hand to rub the side of his neck. "Each and every one of them almost killed me, even the low-level ones. All because I couldn't hear them until it was almost too late."
"You see? That all happened because you didn't listen to me," Serena said. "You shouldn't have accepted the quest to begin with."
Her gaze shifted, landing on Tyler. She paused. Tyler’s eyes locked onto hers, and his breath hitched in his chest. Her eyes were a deep, vivid emerald green. She was beautiful, and they looked to be around the same age.
A system panel manifested in the air: Human: Level 26.
Tyler swallowed hard, his throat feeling dry. *She’s a higher level than me.*
"Oh, who is this person with you?" Serena asked.
"Oh, right," James said, gesturing toward Tyler. "This is Tyler. Tyler, this is Serena."
A new panel appeared before Tyler’s eyes: Profile Updated. Serena Level: 26.
*Oh, so this thing shows their names once I know them,* Tyler thought. He extended his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine," Serena said. She took his hand, her grip firm. His palm felt rough and slightly calloused against her skin. She studied him, her eyes scanning his form.
*This guy looks... odd, Serena thought. Those clothes are shredded. He didn't wander out of a monster zone, did he? That’s as illegal as it is stupid. He isn't a hunter, he doesn't even have a badge. He looks weak. Low-level.*
She watched the way Tyler stood. His posture lacked the confidence of the others in the tent; he looked uncertain, like a fish out of water.