I wake up to a nudge of my hand. Looking towards it, a cat-like creature peeked at me. I reach over it while it instinctively tenses up, ready to pounce away at the slightest wrong move.
I pet it slowly and it relaxes, pushing against my hand in return.
I spent most of last night trying to find my bearings. It was 5 am or at least that's what my phone says.
From what I gathered, I was near the coast, evident by the salty breeze that had come from the East. I only ever went camping once in middle school, but we weren't really taught much other than the occasional "make-your-style" curry. In the end, I spent the time making a shabby fire and huddling by it under the tower's shade.
Speaking of the tower, there was no entrance. When I was in the forest collecting wood for the fire, I noticed nocturnal animals that were wildly different from my own worlds, one of which had taken from the tree and towards the tower. Following it, I noticed no windows on the tower. The more I stared at it, the more questions I had. In the end, I turned in around (phone) 9 pm, since it was getting cloudy as the night progressed.
I sat up and scratched at my knawing stomach, the cat-like creature settled on my lap, purring contently.
I grab the cat and place him on my head where it pads my forehead with its feet a couple and I head towards the east. If it is a wide coast past the small forest-like enclosure, the least I can do is manage to wash up.
The walk was long. I finished a pack of rice crackers and the cat was already napping, the rhythmic breathing almost putting me in a trance.
I stop in my tracks, hearing a hissing above me. I wouldn't blame that reaction, feeling goosebumps from the scent that hit me almost as hard as walking past a dumpster truck. The smell of salt was apparent but what followed was the familiar smell of iron. Part of me knew not to approach the area but my gut told me I wouldn't be able to run if it caught the scent of me which isn't hard after the campfire I had put out using my jacket.
I pull the hood over my head, calming the cat before approaching the open well-lit brush. It felt like one of those unskippable events in games like getting your first P*Kemon… probably not that easy…
A pair of red eyes turn towards me, baring its fangs. Breath caught, I flinch at the scene. A wolf-like creature stood over what looked like a bigger version of the cat with its throat ripped out.
The wolf looked like a greyback but then another head reared its head towards me.
Snake Eyes… Chimera? Probably not.
The wolf's tail or more like the snake's head stared at me, cold and unfeeling, knocking me out of my initial pause.
The wolf turned towards me completely and set itself on its haunches, growling. The snakehead went back to face the big cat, a white miasma enveloping the wolf.
"HISS!"
Hiss?
The cat jumped off my hood and glared at the wolf. I guess compassion for its own kind…? The white miasma didn't look any good either so self-defense?
I sigh at how the events are unfolding. I was always good with animals.
I whistle towards the cat.
"I need a weapon… Anything works."
I pull up my fists and take a stance. It's been 6 years since I got to Goudan in any sort of Martial Arts.
"I'd prefer loosening up before getting on this but… you aren't going to wait huh?"
The wolf bites its mouth shut, the miasma entering through its nose and out its closed maw.
The cat hunched over towards the right before disappearing from where it stood. Guess this really isn't my world.
The Wolf ran towards its left, probably after the scent of the cat.
"STOP!" I roared, stomping down on the ground. The wolf's head snapped to face me. It inhaled, ready to respond only for its head to snap up. The Cat jumped out from under the wolf's maw and moves to pounce at it again.
The Snake tail stopped feeding and struck at the cat. They weren't lying about cats and their 9 lives.
The cat jumped off the flat of the snake's head towards a branch. It made sure to put force on where it landed. I say that because the branch immediately breaks off above me.
The wolf growled, recovering from its shock, and pounces at me, there was a hiss to my left as well.
I duck as the snake's head goes for my throat.
"Where's your damn tail when I need one!"
Pacifying a snake depends on the type it is. If I had to think in my world's standards, I'd have to call the greyback the tail. I guess choking the dog would technically stop the snake but how long am I going to last trying to avoid the snake's head while choking the damn things 'tail'?
I grab the fallen branch and jab at the wolf's throat. The wolf leaps back and inhales deeply.
The cat runs towards the wolf to stop the attack, but the snake was faster, swiping back while venom spills out of its mouth.
A heat spills forth followed by a green flame. The forest lit up green, cat nowhere to be seen.
The snakehead squarely focused at me, maw brimming with a flame. The wolf kept getting closer.
I square my stance and hold the wooden stick straight, everything from the days from junior high flooding back.
An instinctual deep breath.
Relaxing the grip.
Take in everything in front of you.
One final blink.
I swing.
…
Shit.
A loud noise rang by my ears and the back of my head wet. A weight unfamiliar to my own held me pinned to the ground. Chest trouble rising. I peek through one eye and surely saw the eyes of death.
Memories pass through each eye, smoke rising off the nose of the snarling menace.
'During a fight, even a cornered prey's mind will race faster than light. Thoughts so fast they just run by in milliseconds but there are those times when time just stops. That's when you're in the zone. Fight?'
I watch the maw of the beast approach my neck stop. Red crosses surround the beast as my mind eliminates every escape route.
'Or Flight?'
Sorry, Dad… There's literally no out against a duel sentient being. A dog/wolf hell even Cerberus would be easy to take on but a Chimera? My brains running on air I think I've lost minutes ago.
'That's normal for us though…'
Another memory catches my eye from the figurative void that is the beast's skull.
'It feels like I'm in a video game though…' a 12-year-old me said, prodding at the ground with a well-worn Shinai.
Whip.
An arrow whizzes onto a target next to me. I pull the arrow and place it in a quiver.
The old man sighs and gets on his knees, 'In your family, everyone is taught a single weapon dominantly while the previous generation gives the basics of the others. Your mastery of the spear allows you to flow like water but your father flows like the perfectly aged wine in the cellar. That holds true for me as an Archer. I am an immovable object once the arrow is knocked. No distraction will stop this shot and you…'
My grandpa holds his thumb up with one eye closed, '… are just a massive bullseye until the arrow leaves the bow. For you, there are crosses or a hint of light. For me… When I remove my thumb…'
He drops his hand to reveal a knowing smirk, "… there will always be a hole where it was."
… He was holding his thumb towards me!
I turn on my heels but a familiar zip and there it was.
A fresh arrow struck exactly against the dojo wall, deeper than the one that hit the target where I had been standing before spinning to look. I glance behind me and see my grandpa… no…
What I saw was Fuji Heiki, a seasoned veteran. Winner of over 50 archery games. From Traditional to Modern style competitions. With multiple game kills with guns of all kinds during open season.
His drawn arm hung outside of his robe while he held the ebony bow in place. His eyes were stern, a poker face that sent a cold shiver down my spine.
That is his legacy… proceeded by my dad… mine to receive… and pass it on to the next child, disciple, or rival… To keep the cycle going regardless of the weapon in my hand.
Through ragged breaths, I push against the muscle that stood on me. The red in my eyes getting increasingly chaotic. There was no progress, and-
*crunch*
The chimera bit into my left shoulder. The pain came and left in an instant. My arms limped to their sides. There was no winning.
'Your dad and grandpa really said that?'
'Yeah. They make it sound cool, but I feel so icky when the crosses come up, I…'
I look up at my mom who had her chin resting on her arm atop the dining table. 'I kind of get what they mean though…'
'Not you too!'
I was desperate to find someone who'd tell me it was weird so I could ignore it. It was the one thing the 12-year-old me wanted to hear to completely ignore I regardless of how it would affect me in the future.
'Your mom used to be an amazing baseball player-
'Calling yourself amazing makes you less amashink-
-and it was clear that I was losing my motivation to keep playing which stressed me out plenty. Naturally, your father charmed me into trying axe throwing to vent out my frustration…' My mom rambled as she rolled up the paper, she had smacked me in the head while walking to the sink.
'It's not really natural though' I thought to myself while holding back tears from my wounded tongue.
'Weapons are an interesting thing, you know. With my arm, a baseball could probably break a nose, turn someone blind, break the skin, knock someone out or even deafen a man for a while. I was confident with that but your dad being the absolute terrible man he has proved my confidence had no backing!' She threw her hands into a bucket of water in child-like frustration, continuing with the dishes she had from earlier.
'I had no experience after all… Not to romanticize combat but it is how it is to someone who has been repetitively finding success in the one thing they do. Being introduced to something new that's just as similar to your previously perfected methods just added spice to what you did. Say giving a short sword to a lone swordsman. A Halberd to a Spearman. A gun to an Archer-
A picture of the old man in his stance popped up in my mind only he was holding a hunting rifle in place of a bow. Mom kept mentioning more examples but the image of my old man was so distinct it sent a shiver down my spine.
-Etcetera etcetera, you get the gist. What my point is, your dad got me into something that required more experience and focus, and that caused me to develop something subconsciously. Something I knew I had…'
She turned her back on the sink and looked at me with a smirk so smug, it almost felt like I was being challenged.
I blinked back to reality.
Time slowed down.
An Arrow shot into my 180-degree canvas.
The world stopped being red.
'Sometimes, you have to throw yourself in the deep end to know what skills will save you.'
The Chimera reared back.
I grab the broken branch and roll myself out from under it. Whatever pain I had, gone. Replaced with the insane amount of adrenaline coursing through me. I run at the Chimera, caution to the wind.
'So, develop it no matter how weird it makes you feel for it may blossom into something even stronger!'
Crosses show up to the bottom left and top right. I spin past the top right which was replaced by a massive claw and stabbed at the bottom left, a loud hiss sounded out.
The snake lost one of its eyes to my branch but I can't stop running. From the glance I had, an arrow stuck out from the other eye.
The Chimera howled and rolled to its side, breaking the arrow off its left shoulder. The area started to smoke-
"LIKE HELL IT IS!"
I jumped onto its back and stab down on the wound with my branch.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
I scream out as I weave in place to avoid the random blotches of red followed by massive sharp claws. More arrows whiz by, some cutting into my shirt, tearing skin, not being able to avoid the crosses due to the shaking.
The shaking slowed down, and so did the volley of arrows. The Beast stood straight up, the cat who fought the snake tail, fang over claw sat on its haunches somewhere off to the right.
The snake tail coiled towards my arms. Its eyes met mine as it rested on my hands that clutched the branch that was way deeper in than it was initially.
I stared back, gasping for air. The crosses I'd thought I'd see in spades never popped up during this time.
Seconds turned to minutes and the light slowly left its eyes. My body relaxed instantly.
OUCH
Bit.
The snake's mouth was open wide, against my palm. Blood oozing out of the fangs. It was dead. I was tired.
"Is --- a ReBinge? The bite --- neck… its ---"
"I dunno but ----… Let's go. --- Haste!"
And it all fades out.