"So, are you following me into this goddamn forest or what?" Daniel spat, impatience painting his words with a hard edge.
"Alright, alright," Jake sighed, trying to smooth ruffled feathers, "I'm on board with the forest idea because it's strategically the better move. But Daniel, you seriously need to dial down the 'pissed-off drill sergeant' act."
"Have you two lost your bloody marbles?" James shot back, his voice threading tension into the air. He jabbed a finger toward the reanimated panther. "And when we're faced with a mob of these monsters, then what?" He sucked in a sharp breath before continuing, "Just so you know, I selected 'Elemental Harmony' as my inaugural skill. It might seem potent on the surface, but there's a significant snag to it."
Intrigued, Jake pulled up the ability's description without delay:
Elemental Harmony: A high-tier defensive spell exclusive to the Elemental Guardian. For a fleeting span of 5 seconds, this spell allows the Guardian to align with elemental forces, reducing all incoming damage by up to 90%.
"That's a slim margin. And we're completely in the dark about the cooldown or mana cost," Jake pondered aloud. "But never mind that, the forest it is. I have a strategy in mind." With these words, he boldly took the lead, striding towards the forest. Daniel followed in step, while James grudgingly brought up the rear, grumbling under his breath.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the quartet encountered a variety of bizarre creatures. From neon-blue squirrels with three tails, to stilt-legged deer that shimmered like auroras, to birds with scales that burst into flame when threatened. The forest was a living, breathing menagerie of the peculiar and fantastical. Their intrusion went surprisingly unnoticed, their presence inconsequential to the forest's inhabitants. This illusion of tranquility was eerie and unnerving, like a calm before an inevitable storm.
"Isn't it strange that such a bizarre and teeming forest just pops up in the middle of these placid grasslands?" James questioned, his voice a sharp contrast to the forest's harmonious melody.
"Can't say I understand it," Jake shrugged nonchalantly, "but right now, we've got to focus on survival. Dinner won't catch itself. Danny, your past life was a boy scout, right? Think you can get a fire going?"
"Sure," Daniel responded, conviction echoing in his voice, "but I'm not heading off alone to forage. We do everything as a team - hunt, gather, survive."
"Fair enough," Jake conceded, the words slipping past his lips without further contest.
Several hours melted into the forest's vibrant undergrowth as they hunted, finishing with a satiating meal. Despite their exotic appearances, the forest creatures posed minimal resistance and the quartet were spared encounters with hostile beasts.
"Easy as pie," Daniel reflected cheerfully, chewing on the succulent meat of a three-tailed squirrel. "These forest critters gave us a fair bit of XP too. Maybe this world won't be as brutal as we thought."
Jake, though, was still fixated on the unexpected windfall. "Can't believe the XP yield on that glowing stag," he marveled, his tone a blend of disbelief and excitement. "I mean, who'd have thought that something so docile would be so... rewarding?" His gaze drifted off, contemplating the strange new world they'd stumbled into.
"We've amassed quite the force now, haven't we?" James commented, his words tinged with a hint of uncertainty. "Between your undead horde and Daniel's capability to convert creatures—dependent on their intellect—into permanent allies. I feel like I'm just riding coattails here."
"Don't be ridiculous, James! You're part of the team. This is likely just the introductory phase of this world, so of course, it seems easy. You'll have your moment," Jake said encouragingly, giving James a reassuring pat on the back.
"You've got an undead entourage of fifteen, and Daniel's got a menagerie of thirteen, thanks to his animal conversion skill. Hell, you've got a freakin' army between you two. I'm just wondering where I fit into this power dynamic," James retorted, a veiled challenge hanging in his words.
Jake, not wanting to dig deeper into the topic, deftly changed the subject. "Well, we've learned a few things worth noting. Like how chowing down replenishes our mana, and it regenerates at a decent pace as long as we aren't beat. Good thing we didn't stay cooped up in that orphanage, huh?"
"Guys, something's off," Daniel blurted out, scrambling to his feet. "My map is flashing red like a damn warning light. Are we about to be swarmed?"
An unnatural rumble seized the forest floor, the vibrations akin to an impending earthquake. Red dots flooded their shared mental map, each a beacon heralding the approach of multiple enemies.
"Holy fuck, we're surrounded! We're about to get royally screwed!" Daniel barked, his veneer of composure shattering into panic.
"Get your shit together, Daniel!" Jake growled, rising to his feet and commanding his undead cadre to form a protective ring around them.
"Guys, I kept track of this cave and it's a few hundred yards out," James interjected, his voice hard with resolve. "We break for it now, we can bottleneck those bastards using the small army you two command. NOW MOVE!" His command echoed with undeniable urgency, prompting Jake and Daniel into action before they could argue.
As they bolted, a curious procession followed in Jake and Daniel's wake. Their motley crew of critters and undead minions kept pace.
"Damn it, we've pissed off the whole forest! There's a tsunami of these things after us. We're screwed," Daniel huffed, panic threatening to suffocate his words.
"Perhaps next time we'll pick a bloody town instead, eh?" James wheezed, his adrenaline-fueled determination steering them toward the sanctuary of the cave.
"Let's turn this impending clusterfuck into an opportunity! These freaks will just beef up our ranks and load us up with experience!" Jake roared, the looming threat igniting a flame within him.
James and Daniel shared a glance of disbelief, before James asserted, "Atta boy Jake! We're not going down without a damn good fight. We're gonna fucking survive this."
Upon reaching the cave, they deployed their combined forces at the entrance. James took the frontline, his resolve hardening into a visible shield, while Jake and Daniel retreated to the rear.
'I wish we were higher than level four. Level ten would have made this a cakewalk, given the ratio of stats-per-level to the mana cost of our skills and damage output. At least a new skill per level is a perk,' Jake mused, his eyes scanning his stats:
Strength: 21
Magic: 20
Mana: 20
Resistances: 4
"I see them! Oh no... They're not like those pushover creatures from the forest…" James choked out, his voice trailing off.
"Spill it! What's heading our way?" Jake demanded.
"A whole shitstorm of those panther freaks, accompanied by bears armored with scales. There's a goddamn zoo charging us," James replied, the weight of their predicament apparent in his voice.
"Danny, do you have any AoE spells yet?" Jake quickly asked.
"Drop the damn nickname, and no, I don't," Daniel shot back, his voice taut with tension.
Jake sighed. "Then we're deep in the shit. I didn't pick any AoE spells either."
"I have one. Brace yourselves, THEY'RE HERE!" James' warning resonated within the cave, his resolve evident as the wave of monstrous fauna attempted to infiltrate their sanctuary.
Due to the cave's narrow opening, only three creatures could enter at once, subjecting them to a brutal onslaught from the assembled army and James' improvised club. Jake seized the opportunity, utilizing his mana to raise the fallen foes to serve under his command.
Mana: 0/20
"My squad's taking heavier hits than I'd like, but we might just pull this off," Jake mused, hope creeping into his voice. "With our mana regeneration and James tanking up front, we might just turn this fuckshow around."
"We've got a major problem here. Those bastards are tearing through the cave walls from all sides," Daniel said as he started looking around.
"Are you serious?" Jake said in disbelief.
"You can hear them clearly attacking the walls, right? The walls may be thick, but it's just a matter of time before they come crashing down on us. We gave it our all, guys, but it looks like our luck's run out," Daniel said, his voice laced with a heavy dose of resignation.
The weight of their impending doom settled over the group, casting a somber shadow upon their faces. They stood in grim silence, realizing that their battle for survival had reached its critical juncture, and the odds seemed insurmountable.