Chapter 3 - The Forest

My vision blinded, my ears fill with the sound of wind, some kind of fabric beating against my skin, and I get the sensation that I'm falling. Wait…

My sight returns, and I scream in terror at the ground quickly approaching me.

"He made me spawn in the sky?! Why not on the ground somewhere?! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

I cry out at the being for his lack of any consideration, as my body hurtles through the sky. Looking closer, I see what seems to be a forest below me.

"I'm gonna dieeeee!"

I close my eyes in fear, as I smash through the upper branches of the canopy. Branches snap, bend, and rake against my skin as I fall, crying out in pain all the while. Strangely though, I hear a robotic voice echoing in my head.

[1 damage received.]

[2 damage received.]

[1 damage received.]

[2 damage received.]

[2 damage received.]

[Item **Canvas Robes (Common)** has become ** Canvas Robes, Ragged (Common)**.]

[3 damage received.]

As my body accumulates cuts, scratches, and scrapes, my descent slows a bit, before I drop through the lower canopy. My back towards the forest floor, I smash into the ground. Hard.

My vision goes black.

[Divine Blessing engaged. Awakening host.]

"Gack!"

I cough and sputter, my breathing having been stopped for some time now. The forest spins around me, and I gaze up at the trees, panting in shallow breaths.

[38 damage received. Please seek a healer immediately.]

"That MOTHERF—

AGH!"

I cry out in pain, my curse of the being cut short by a horrible feeling in my abdomen.

[Diaphragmatic tear detected. Please refrain from yelling.]

I clutch my abdomen and attempt to sit up, but immediately fall back to the ground.

'Great… brand new body, and I'm already probably going to die,' I think to myself.

[Correction: Host has 1 / 50 hit points remaining.]

'E-eh…? I… must be hallucinating…' I ponder with a chuckle.

"heh— AGH!" I cry out, as I'm reminded of my current predicament.

[Correction: Hallucination status effect not detected.]

"…"

[…]

'So, this is really it then, huh? This doesn't feel like a dream, either…'

I raise my arm, and look at my hand. Covered in scratches… but definitely real. Moving my hand to my head, I feel two fuzzy ears atop it. A pained grin crosses my face, as my hand brushes against them.

'I guess I got the body I designed after all. Though, I wonder what body that guy had in mind? Hmm… Well, no use thinking about that now… I need to find a way to heal myself before I die here.'

As thoughts of how to regain my movement rack my mind, I hear a twig snap behind me. I try to turn my neck towards the noise, but am painfully unable to, closing my eyes and gritting my teeth in discomfort. I complain within my head, still unable to speak.

'Oh come on, is this really it for me? Am I gonna get finished off by a wolf or a goblin already? This is so unfair!'

I groan in annoyance, as another twig snaps, this time right next to me. I lay there, awaiting my fate…

"BY HOAG'S BEARD, SHE'S STILL ALIVE!"

A deep voice bellows into my ears, making me flinch. "Someone fetch a stretcher! And get Finnegan!"

The sound of frantic footsteps fills the air around me, and I open my eyes weakly. A short, stout, elderly bearded man stands over me, and our eyes meet. He then waves frantically off to his side, ushering over a similar looking man with a shorter beard.

"Finnegan, she fell out of the sky!" The first man says.

"Drah, you need to get your eyes checked, you old fool! The lass clearly fell from a tree. Now move over!"

The one called Finnegan kneels down and begins examining my body, as I groan weakly in pain at his touch. The elderly man steps back.

"Don't worry lassie, you're in the care of the fastest caravan this side of the Western Vale!" Finnegan looks to the side, and irritatedly bellows, "Hurry up with that stretcher you daft boy!"

"She's in bad shape, set that down, and let's get her loaded!" he commands.

"But pa, why're we even helpin' a wee beastfolk dame?" the boy bearing the stretcher asks. "The cats ain't never done anything for the Western Merchants Guild, an' she could be a spy for the leafers!"

"Shut up and help me, boy! I thought I raised you better!" The two lift my body onto the stretcher, and I groan in pain at being moved. "S'pose she is working for those woodies, eh?" he continues. "Do ya think she's in a spot to do anything to us? She's helpless right now, and'll be certainly finished off by somethin' if we don't do somethin'!"

The boy looks sheepishly at Finnegan, and with some help from the elderly man, the three lift me, carrying my battered body to their cart. Several other short, bearded men watch, curious and wary.

"I swear, I saw her fallin' from the sky, Finnegan! I can't think of how, but there she was!" the elderly man insists.

Finnegan ignores him, and commands the driver to get moving, before responding. "I'm tellin' ya Angus, there ain't no way. Though, I s'pose we might try finding out when we get to Hyperion."

My mind cannot help but think what kind of place this 'Hyperion' is, but judging by the medieval appearance of the men on the cart with me, as well as their continued use of 'she' for me, I can't help but doubt their medical prowess.

'Well, I guess wherever it is, it can't be worse than just laying there, waiting to die again. I wonder how I'm even alive after falling that far?'

The cart trundles on down a bumpy path, making me groan in pain at each jerk.

[Elaboration: Host has sufficient hit points to withstand 30 meter fall. Despite 100 meter free fall, foliage slowed host sufficiently to land alive.]

'Oh that's right, I have… this thing.. now…'

[…]

'Is this some kind of like… AI in my thoughts?'

[…]

'Or maybe it's some kind of… brain implant… and I'm actually dead?'

[Correction: Host has 1/50 hit points remaining.]

'You already said that! Can't you tell me something useful?'

[…]

'Pretty please?'

[Loading: Host Data.]

Name: N/A

Race: Beastfolk (Feline)

Level: 1

Exp: 0/500

HP: 1/50

MP: 100/100

SP: 0/50

Passive Skills:

- Feline Agility: Movement speed +25%, Jump height +50%, +25 to base SP.

- Cat's Grace: Fall damage -50%, Climbing speed +25%, Superior charisma.

- Beastfolk Senses: Superior Auditory Sense, Improved Olfactory Sense, Superior Darkvision.

- #^@`£&'s Blessing: N/A, N/A, Improved luck, +25 to base HP, +50 to base MP.

Active Skills:

- Cat's Claws: Melee, 10 damage per hit (5 MP/s).

- N/A (Level 15 Required)

- N/A (Level 40 Required)