"Huh?" I uttered in disbelief as I stared at the words across my vision. A second turned to five turned to ten until I heard a snap of a twig behind me. That was enough to break me out of my thoughts and start sprinting back to towards my house.
'I knew I should have just kept practicing magic!' I screamed internally, watching as my Stamina steadily drained towards 0. Thankfully I was over halfway full on Hydration and Sustenance, so all I had to worry about was keeping my Stamina replenished and of course my Health.
I could hear the yips and snarls behind me along with the crash of many feet chasing after me. One set got closer and closer until I could hear it panting as it closed in on me. I risked a look back to see a large wolf charging at me readying to leap. When it did I turned and instinctivbroughy up my build menu.
"Wall!" I found myself shouting due to adrenaline even though the system didn't require it. I was already turned back around and running, the brief pause enough to recover a few more points of Stamina: 20/100. I heard the smack of the body followed by a whine, but I couldn't feel bad because I heard the others still following.
I built some steps and then a foundation platform and quickly threw up 4 walls around me. I collapsed on to my back breathing heavily watching as my Stamina shot back up to full. Rapid steps brought me back to the moment while I looked up at the midday sky.
"I just wanted meat! Why did it have to turn out like this?" I groaned, watching the wall while the wolves scratched at it. Then I heard a growl and rush of steps and following the sounds up I saw the snarling maw of the massive grey wolf peel over the top of the wall. Why hadn't I made a ceiling?
I looked at the wall that was keeping the other wolves separated and saw that it only had 20 durability left. With them scratching it and the jumper trying to scramble over the wall it wouldn't last much longer. I looked down at the platform beneath me and prepared myself, sword and shield equipped and braced for the 10 foot drop.
"Destroy." I muttered, hiding behind the shield as I kept the sword pointing up. My heart jumped as the free falling sensation hit me. A human, wood logs and wolves all found themselves falling to the ground. The walls and stairs collapsed as they no longer had the platform to anchor on to. I managed to throw up 2 walls separating me from the other 2 wolves.
The one that climbed was flailing in the air as he had been the highest in the air. Flipping, his back legs clipped the new wall and he found himself tumbling end over end. All I could do was tense and try to keep my sword up as all of my breath exploded out of me as soon as I hit the ground.
Nothing I did seemed to be able to fill my lungs and peek at my Health read that I had dropped 20 points from that fall. Between struggling for breath and fighting to keep from losing consciousness, I barely registered when the wolf's massive frame landed on me, skewering itself on my sword.
I had to force away the notifications trying to obstruct my sight as I maneged to roll over and a way from the wolf. I barely made it to my feet and got my shield up when a sudden weight crashed against my shield which sent me rolling backwards. Tumbling end over end I managed to catch one wolf shaking its head and another leaping at me.
I pulled up another wall and mentally confirmed it, only instead of forming it flashed red with the words "UNSTABLE" appearing over it. I barely managed to roll to the side right before the wolf landed on me, coming up to a knee I slashed out at it. The tip of my sword catching it across the eye, but I didn't get to revel in the success in the strike as the other wolf crashed into me.
It had hit me from the side and now I was trying to push it back with my shield as it snapped at me with large, sharp canines that dribbled saliva on to my face. It horrible breath made me want to puke, but I was fighting for my life. I pushed the feeling down as far as I could, trying to stay calm as I saw the other wolf running to get a piece of me.
'If only I had some armor!" I screamed internally and then it hit me, magic! I took the risk to switch my focus to my core and use the Earth augmentation on myself. The effect was immediate as a rocky layer formed itself around my body and I found that I had a new surge of strength.
I shoved against my shield and was shocked when the wolf went flying back towards the other. Only it sidestepped and snapped its jaws around my calf and I winced in preparation of the pain, but was surprised when it didn't come. Then it clicked, these wolves were normal animals. I didn't feel any mana from them so they weren't able to penetrate even this rudimentary spell.
The wolf didn't seem to care though and kept trying to maul my leg, letting out only a pitiful whimper as I sunk my sword into its side. I kicked it off my leg and brought my sword up and delivered a powerful slash to its neck, disgusted and amazed when I watched the head separate from the body. The blood and gore turned my stomach into knots but focused back to the other wolf.
It lunged at me, paws raised and mouth agape as it snarled at me. I raised my shield and stepped into its leap, crushing its face into my shield. While it was stunned from the blow I brought my sword down and decapitated it as well. With the battle over a wave of exhaustion came over me and I began to panic, but when I looked at my bars all of them were still in good ranges.
HP: 60/100
Stamina: 30/100
Hydration: 50/100
Sustenance: 55/100
Rest: 64/100
I noticed a few other notifications, but I just brushed them to side for now. I looked at the 3 wolves and collected their materials.
"Ugh. At least I have enough meat so that I don't have to do this again for a few days." I sighed as I caught my breath for a moment. Drinking my water and eating some berries to top off my Hydration and Sustenance while I had a moment of peace. My mind raced back through the battle as I analyzed it. Walls still needed to be stable to be formed, I could use walls to help in combat as long as I had the wood on me. And the most important?
"Magic is awesome!" I shouted excitedly as I hovered a ball of fire over my hand. Effortlessly switching between the other elements. Then and there I decided that I would need to start putting much more energy into raising my Mana Manipulation. Especially as it seemed so far I was in an area that didn't have Mana Beasts. And that made me figure that I was likely in some forest in Sapin.
I remembered Darv being described as a desert with the the Dwarves living underground. And Elenoir was a dense foggy forest that humans couldn't navigate. It also was home to Mana beasts, but you my knowledge Sapin didn't have Mana Beasts in its forests. Eventually I would need to adventure out and see more of the world, but for now I just wanted to max out my Skills and I think Magic just shot itself up to the top of my priorities list.