Chương 18: Lesson Learned

A massive beast shot out of the water. It moved so fast all Evan could see was a blur of dirty green and a huge maw full of sharp white teeth. Panicking, he scrambled backward as the jaws snapped shut just inches away from his feet. The monster retreated back into the shallow water, but its body language indicated it was already preparing for the next attack. As Evan got to his feet, he got a good look at the creature. It strongly resembled a crocodile, but the gym bro version.

[Aquatic Irontooth - Rank 2] He hastily retreated a few steps, but didn't dare turn around and run away. He had a feeling the monster would lunge at him the moment he turned his back toward it. Plus all his clothes and his sword were still lying on that boulder, several feet away. Without taking his eyes off the lurking monster, he considered his options.

He could teleport away from the riverbank, putting a few important feet between himself and the monster, giving him a better chance to escape back into the forest. Or he could teleport back to his sword and fight the thing. Just as the monster lunged at him, he made a split-second decision. He activated [Teleport] and reappeared behind the Irontooth, right next to the stone he'd leaned his sword against. The crocodile monster was confused by the sudden disappearance of its prey.

That moment of distraction allowed Evan to grab his sword and jump into an attack. He put his entire strength into the first sword blow. The sharp blade sank deep into the Irontooth's thick skin, nearly severing the tail. The memory of how his first sword had splintered the moment he'd hit the Mud Golem flashed through his mind, and he sent a silent "thank you" to Agatha, who'd gifted him this powerful weapon. The Irontooth hissed in pain.

While it pivoted on its short legs, Evan slashed at it again, and this time he managed to cut off the tail completely. The monster opened its jaws, and Evan moved backward. He lifted his weapon, ready to plunge it into the creature's open mouth. He took another step back, trying to widen his stance for better leverage. Unfortunately, his left foot got caught on a sharp-edged stone protruding from the soft mud of the riverbank. Evan stumbled backwards and fell flat on his ass. The fall saved him.

The Irontooth, already mid-attack, bit down on nothing but air above Evan's head. He grabbed his sword hilt tighter as the words "don't drop your sword" shot through his head, pushed himself upwards, and rammed his sword through the Irontooth's throat. His hope was to pierce the brain, but the tip reappeared somewhere in the middle of the monster's snout. Evan tried to pull out his sword, but quickly realized it was stuck.

The Irontooth hissed again and shook its head violently, trying to shake loose the object stuck painfully in its flesh, while Evan held onto the hilt for dear life. He knew if he lost his grip, the fight would be lost. He might manage to escape with his life, but he would lose the sword. Not an option. Gritting his teeth, he yanked at the sword again. The Irontooth pulled back in the other direction, and for several long moments they were locked in a gruesome version of tug-of-war.

Finally, the blade came free with a wet squelch. Evan tried to get back to his feet, but before he could heave himself up, the Irontooth attacked him. Fueled by pain-induced rage, the monster crashed into him like a freight train, slamming him back into the ground. The claws of its forelegs dug into his chest, making him wince in pain, but at least he had his sword again.

Immobilized in an awkward position, it took every bit of strength he still had in his arms to pull back far enough to angle the sword tip toward the monster's head. He plunged it down, and the creature's skull cracked. It gave off a final hiss that sounded more like a deflating balloon than a vicious monster. Then it collapsed on top of Evan, burying him under its horse-sized body.

[You have killed Aquatic Irontooth] [You have earned 17 experience points] [You have looted 52 mana stones] [You have looted 1 water affinity crystal shard] With shaky arms, Evan managed to push the dead Irontooth off himself, just enough to wriggle out from under its body. As soon as he was free, he dropped back into the sand. His body was bruised and covered in scratches from the Irontooth's hard scales. His breath came out in labored puffs and his pulse hammered, but he felt absolutely amazing.

Despite his physical exhaustion, a grin snuck onto his face. That was one hell of a fight, but he'd chosen to face the challenge and he'd been rewarded for it. A crystal shard. Oliver had said that those were very valuable. After laying in the grass for at least another fifteen minutes, unable to move even the smallest muscles, Evan had finally regained enough strength to get back to his feet.

Sore and exhausted, he collected his clothes, which had completely dried while he was fighting for his life, and got dressed. He returned his sword to the scabbard and headed back to Silver Creek. When he walked back into the inn, he immediately lumped into the nearest free chair he could find. The few guests present at that time of day immediately stuck their heads together and started whispering to each other. Behind the bar counter, Reynold looked up from polishing a cup. His eyes went wide when he spotted Evan.

With a worried expression, he put the cup and the rag down and rushed over.

"You look terrible, man. What happened to you?"

"Had an encounter with something called an Aquatic Irontooth," Evan said weakly.

"Oh yeah, those things are nasty. Last year one of those beasts tore a little girl apart, two villages over. It was really sad. They're quite common near the river. Sorry. I should've warned you about them."

"Eh… at least I learned my lesson. From now on, I'm going to pay more attention to my surroundings. I can't believe I nearly dozed off in a forest full of monsters."

"You're lucky you got away."

"I didn't just get away," Evan said. A proud grin appeared on his face.

"I killed the damn thing."

"Woah! Really?"

"Yes. Tough fight, but I received some nice loot. A water affinity crystal shard. Oliver said shards are quite valuable."

"Damn right they are. You could probably rent your room here for an entire year with the money you could make selling the shard." This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"Right now I would be satisfied with a warm meal and a cup of Mari juice."

"You're in luck," Reynold said with a friendly clap on the shoulder.

"You missed lunch, but I anticipated you would return hungry from your training session, so I saved you some stew."

"Thank you, Reynold. I appreciate that. Really."

"You're welcome, man. I'll get it for you right away." The young innkeeper hurried to the backroom and returned with a large bowl full of steaming hot stew. Evan recognized potatoes and some kind of meat; the rest of the ingredients looked unfamiliar. It smelled savory with a hint of spice.

"How did you keep it so hot? Do you have a magical device for that?"

"I do, yes. It's powered by a fire affinity crystal shard. It was pretty expensive, but I think it was a worthwhile investment. My guests appreciate a hot meal."

"I sure do," Evan said before digging in. The stew nearly burned his mouth, but it tasted even better than it smelled. Reynold threw a quick glance at the other customers, making sure no one needed attention. Then he sat down on the chair across from Evan, looking eager for more adventure stories.

"So, what are you up to tomorrow? I bet after killing that Irontooth, you must be itching for more action." Evan swallowed another spoonful of spicy stew and washed it down with a large sip from his cup.

"Tomorrow," he said, "I will leave Silvercreek." The fight for his life he'd fought against the Irontooth took its toll. For the first time since arriving in this world, Evan slept in. When he finally awoke, the sun was already high in the sky. Damn! When had Alexandra said she wanted to leave again? She wouldn't set off without him, right? They'd agreed to go together, so surely she'd wait? He nearly fell over his own feet trying to untangle himself from his bedsheets in a hurry.

Cursing under his breath, he splashed some water on his face and threw on his clothes, closing the tunic haphazardly before grabbing his sword and racing down the stairs.

"What's the matter, Evan?" Reynold called out.

"Is your room on fire? Are you on fire?" Evan came to an abrupt halt and turned back around. In a hurry or not, Reynold deserved a proper goodbye. He marched back and took the innkeeper's hand.

"I'm leaving today, but I won't forget the kindness you offered me. Thank you for everything, Reynold."

"You're welcome," the innkeeper replied with a warm smile.

"It was a pleasure meeting you. Make sure to stop by the next time you're in the area."

"I will. I promise." After turning around at the door and waving one last time, Evan left the inn. He headed for Agatha's hut as fast as his legs carried him, silently praying Alexandra hadn't left without him yet. He had no idea how to get to Stormhaven without her. He wasn't even sure in which direction he had to walk. On his way to Agatha's, he passed by the Detreyo farm.

For a second he considered stopping for one last attempt to talk Oliver into joining his journey, but when he got closer to the main building, he spotted Oliver and his sister Maya in the shadow of one of the barn buildings. They were too far away to understand what they were saying to each other, but their body language sent a clear message. They were in the middle of a fight. He decided not to intrude and got back on his way.

When he finally reached Agatha's crooked little hut, he was sweat-drenched and out of breath. With more force than necessary, he knocked on the door. A disgruntled-looking Agatha opened.

"Why are you trying to kick my door in?"

"Uh, sorry about that. Is Alexandra still here?" To his great relief, Alex appeared in the doorframe behind her mother, arms crossed and a smirk on her face.

"There you are. I thought you'd chickened out." He scratched the back of his head.

"I just overslept. Had a tough day yesterday."

"Yeah, I've heard you had a run-in with an Irontooth."

"You've heard?"

"News travels fast around here. Good loot?"

"A water affinity crystal shard," he said with a proud smile.

"Nice. That'll go for a nice price in Stormhaven." Agatha interrupted their conversation with an exasperated sigh.

"Are you two ever going to leave, or are you going to waste the rest of the day blocking my door, chitchatting?" Alex laughed.

"Three days back home and my mother is already sick of me. Don't worry. We're heading out now." She leaned down and pressed a kiss to her mother's head.

"Don't stay away so long this time," the old woman grumbled.

"And write more often."

"Will do," Alex said cheerfully.

"Come on, Evan. Let's get going. I want to cover at least a hundred miles before nightfall." Evan blinked.

"Excuse me? Did you just say one hundred miles?"

"Yes."

"Uh… I don't think anyone can walk one hundred miles in one day." Alex walked right past him, shaking her head.

"Walking. He really thinks we're going to walk all the way to Stormhaven." Evan hurried after her.

"We're not?"

"Of course not, silly. We're…" Her sentence trailed off when something in the distance caught her attention.

"Oh, look at that. My, my, if that isn't little Oliver Detreyo. And his much smarter sister, too." Evan whirled around, and his eyes went wide in surprise when he spotted an uncomfortable-looking Oliver and a frustrated-looking Maya emerging from the forest.

"Oliver!" Evan greeted him, a laugh bubbling out of him.

"Have you changed your mind?" Oliver glanced at his sister, who returned his gaze with an angry stare.

"Uh… it's complicated."

"I forced him to go," Maya said.

"And I'm coming too." Evan raised his brows.

"Is your dad okay with that?" She tilted her head and pinched her lips.

"What do you think?"

"He doesn't know yet," Oliver said quietly, staring at his feet. It was obvious he wasn't completely convinced by his sister's plan to sneak away.

"He's gone to a neighboring village to buy a new cow. Felix will tell him when he returns," Maya explained.

"He's going to freak out when he realizes we're gone," Oliver mumbled.

"Relax, baby brother. What's the worst he can do? We're adults, we can leave whenever we want."

"That's what I keep telling him," Evan chimed in.

"It just doesn't feel right leaving father hanging like this. The farm—""Felix will take care of the farm. You know how he is. He works twice as hard as both of us together. He loves farm work. This is his chance to make father realize Felix should be the one to take over the family business." Alex had followed their conversation with interest, but Evan could tell she was getting impatient by the way she tapped her foot.

"Listen, guys, I'm happy to take all three of you along, but what I'm not going to do is turn around halfway to Stormhaven because one of you…," she stared at Oliver intently, "changed his mind about this." Maya straightened her shoulders.

"We're not going to change our minds. It's time for us to leave the nest. Oliver is just a bit of a wuss sometimes."

"I'm not a wuss, Maya! I fought a Mud Golem!"

"And a Scrapmaw queen," Evan added. Maya rolled her eyes.

"And yet you're still afraid daddy will scold you."

"I'm not—" Alexandra interrupted them with an annoyed sigh.

"Enough squabbling. Are you coming or not?"

"We're coming," Maya said sternly. Oliver remained quiet. Evan could see the wheels turning in his head, as he wrangled his own desires and the responsibility and guilt he felt toward his father. And oh boy, could Evan empathize with those feelings.

"Come on, man," he urged him gently.

"Maya is right. Your father and your siblings will be all right. It's time to find your own way in the world." Oliver took a deep breath, rolled his shoulder, and met Evan's gaze.

"Okay. I'm in."

"Finally," Alex said, clapping her hands.

"Now, if anyone needs to pee before we leave, take care of that now, because we're going to be on horseback for the next few hours and I haven't scheduled any pee breaks."

"Horseback?" Evan asked. He looked back at Agatha's hut, despite knowing full well there was no stable or pasture for horses nearby.

"Okay, this is probably a really stupid question, but can you store horses in your inventory?" Alex burst out laughing.

"I like your out-of-the-box thinking, Evan, but no, I do not have a horse in my inventory. What I do have is a summoning ability, though. Watch and make amazed faces, okay? Because this skill gem has cost me an arm and a leg." She waved both of her hands, and dark clouds emerged from her palms. The cloud floated away from her. Evan watched in awe as the cloud became denser and started to take shape. After about half a minute, a fully formed horse was standing in front of them. Evan did not have to fake amazement.

"Holy hell, a cloud horse!" The Detreyo siblings seemed equally enthralled by the storm-cloud-turned-horse. Maya made a tentative step toward the magical animal and patted its neck.

"Feels soft and solid at the same time. We can really ride that?" The horse lowered its head, as if it were inviting her to pat behind the ears.

"Yep," Alex said proudly.

"And the ride is a lot smoother than on a normal horse, you'll see. And they don't get tired or hungry. They do require occasional petting, though."

"Can you make more?" Oliver asked.

"Can you make one for each of us?"

"Yes, I can. The only limit is the drain on my mana reserves. They'll dissolve when I run out." She followed up her statement by producing three more of the cloud horses in quick succession, each one a slightly different mix of gray swirls. Evan approached the one that was meant for him and stretched out his hand. The horse rubbed its nose against his palm, the same way a real horse would do, but it felt entirely different. Maya's statement had been spot-on.

Somehow, the horse felt solid and cloudy-soft at the same time. Alexandra and the Detreyo siblings had already mounted their horses and were all waiting for him. The problem was that the last time Evan had sat on a horse was when he'd been about six years old, riding a pony at a farmer's fair. This horse was a lot bigger than that pony, its back almost reaching his shoulder, and he would definitely make a complete fool of himself trying to mount it.

He nervously glanced around, hoping to catch a moment when the others were distracted for his first attempt, when he noticed Agatha was still standing on her doorstep, watching the little group preparing to depart.

"Wait here for a second, I'll be right back," he whispered to the horse before running to Agatha's house. Her eyes narrowed when she saw him approach.

"What do you want?"

"I just wanted to say thank you," he said, out of breath from his sprint.

"For the sword. I'm not an expert on weapons, but even I can tell it's really valuable."

"It is," she just said. Her face remained stern, but he could see a hint of a twinkle in her eyes.

"I… I have to ask. Why did you give it to me? Why me? You don't even know me." Agatha looked at him for a long moment before she answered.

"My boy, you stalk around this world like a newborn fawn. You need all the help you can get." Evan sighed.

"I'm not going to argue about that."

"I have no use for the sword anymore. Those days are over for me. Long over." She turned around, starting to close the door, when she muttered something else: "And I like your red hair. It reminds me of someone I used to know a long time ago." The words struck a chord with Evan. Hadn't Helen said something very similar before she'd gifted him that necklace?

"Funny you say that. Someone else said almost those exact same words to me recently." Agatha paused for a moment, throwing one last glance over her shoulder.

"Hm… is that so? How peculiar." With a strange smile on her face, she closed the door behind her.