April 8, 492 U.C.

  The wind over Vuln gusted in fury, sending leaves fluttering and branches waving. It filled the home with noise and angered Dad. He let the wind have it, spewing out profanities.

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  I laid my head on the desk, hoping the wind would drown him out. A deluge of water crashed against the window. Forget that. I’m staying inside.

  The rain and wind were ambivalent to my father’s cursing or my need to get another ton of meat. They continued while I studied my chore list. I guess I should make potions.

  Ela flitted out. “Let’s go see Job!” she said with a large yawn.

  “Talking to me again?” I asked.

  “Yes. I got some advice. It was difficult since I couldn’t say anything.” Ela huffed at me. “Let’s go!”

  I stretched. “I have to make things.”

  “Let’s do a quest. I can find one for you. Some places need help.”

  “Can’t. Dad is checking the footage.”

  Ela groaned. “Make a hologram or something. That’s a thing you can do, right?”

  It tempted me. I’d need to liberate it since I had no money, but it was for the greater good. With a nod to myself, I plotted a way to get a holo-drone. It would be nice to be able to help people again.

  With that thought, I pulled up manuals on them. Then my door swung open. I spun. “Hi, Dad.” I kept spinning, closing the article on the way by.

  “We need more meat or vegetables. Exposure is ramping.”

  “I’m not going out in a typhoon,” I replied.

  “We need it. Teleport outside of it,” Dad replied sternly.

  I halted and scowled at him. “Do I get an allowance now?” I asked. “I’m almost thirteen. I deserve an allowance.”

  Like talking to a wall of granite, my request went ignored. “Casey, go. Bring it to the shop. Then we need awakening potions and amulets when you get back.”

  “I need to keep up my schoolwork!” I protested.

  “Yes, so hurry.”

  With a growing reluctance, I stood and grabbed my gear. Like the raging winds outside, I swept through my room and vanished, appearing out into the wilds.

  The wilds greeted me with a deluge of water. The water instantly soaked through my clothes. Shivering, I peered out into the trees. They swayed and rustled, adding to the din. Branches cracked and fell. Water was running down trunks, forming streams.

  Wanting no part of it, I used Time Stop to find somewhere free of it. Floating along, I looked out and soon began losing details. The further I traveled, the worse the weather and details got.

  Soon, I was stuck with a very limited view that would only warn me if I was going to die if I entered there. I kept going, following the ground. Finally, I ended the spell and plunged into the water like some thrill-seeking diver.

  Oxygen Unavailable: Time Remaining 2.8 hours.

  My mask, once again, pointed out the obvious. Sea water surrounded me. Growing kelp-like plants washed everywhere. Red, yellow, green, and blue fish surrounded me. Honestly, it was beautiful. I grew tempted to swim down. Figuring that I was already soaked, I did just that, swimming through the area while wishing I had my spear.

  Spotting a large glowing one, I used Haste and swam forward, zipping through the green and yellow stalks. I churned water behind me. The fish did the same, shooting off like it was liquid lightning. The narrow fish that was over a meter long zipped forward; then it was jerked down by massive, glowing tentacles.

  The massive cuttlefish thing crunched into the fish. The thing was massive, nearly the size of a killer whale. Wanting no part of the cuttlefish from hell, I abandoned my plan instantly, teleporting to the plains.

  Then I tumbled over as the wind sent me rolling. I used Haste to get my feet back under me. Then I zipped forward in search of anything. Water spewed behind me as I raced through the grass.

  With my feet squelching, I made quite the ruckus. Luckily, the wind and rain around me drown it out. The wind and cold rain slammed into me as I ran. I quickly realized a few facts.

  The first two were obvious; I slammed into the water, which felt more like rocks. Little bruises began forming on my body as I ran through rain that felt like gravel. A shiver raced through me as the air and water siphoned heat.

  The third was made clear moments later as I slipped and shot through the wet grass like a skidding car. With my friction destroyed, I hurtled forward, flailing wildly.

  As I finally reached the mud, I slammed forward, sinking myself into the mess. Picking myself up, I scraped off mud and water. “Damn it, Dad!” I yelled out into the noise.

  Vowing to steal cleats, I swapped to my magical girl outfit to stop the bruising. Then I looked at the heeled boots. Hopefully, this works. I resumed my jog, cursing Dad mentally while I went.

  “Doing alright, Casey?” Ela asked.

  “No. This is a disaster. And don’t start, or I will summon you in this mess.” I ran through the grass and found a herd of tritops. I opted to kill some of the older ones, dragging them into the stash.

  With a long breath, I swapped back to my original outfit and teleported into the warehouse. Then I searched for any workers. With a growing frown, I pulled out my phone and texted Dad.

  Me: Dad! Where are people to help?

  Then I put on an apron and boots. Turning back, he still hadn’t answered. While waiting, I slowly dragged one out, hooking it up and using hydraulics to lug it upward. It didn’t fully make it. The large carcass took up a lot of space. It dangled onto the floor.

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  With a huff, I sent my hair flying as I walked to the door. I poked my head into the offices. Some guy was sitting there with headphones on. Tossing on my Viper amulet, I sneaked up and slammed my hands on the table.

  The long-haired twenty-year-old jerked up; his headphones went flying.

  Using Haste, I zipped over and snagged them. Then I put them on the desk. “Hey! I need help!” I barked at him.

  “Holy Shit! Viper?” The man’s eyes bugged out.

  “Help!” I barked. “I have tritops. You need to cut them with a saw.”

  “Shit. Can you give me magic? I’m ready.”

  “No. Talk to Raptor. Now, get up, and get the crew. I’m leaving this to you this time.” I spun and frowned. I don’t want to waste it. With a reluctant sigh, I headed back and began doing what I could with the large creatures.

  Pulling knives from the wall, I began removing innards. Why didn’t Dad buy a drone already? Left with carcasses and blood, my thoughts drifted to my mom again. I’ve always wondered about her.

  With a lump growing in my throat, I finished gutting one of them, hauling the innards to the sausage machine. Turning back, I looked at the blood and viscera. Little pieces were all over the floor.

  The door slid open and a stream of people began walking in. I went to ditch the apron, rinsing it first.

  “Viper! Me next!” some woman called as she grabbed blades.

  I ignored it. I wasn’t in the mood for that. Instead, I swapped the apron and boots. After ensuring they had it, I teleported, appearing back at home. Then I took a long shower to clean off. A knock interrupted it.

  “Casey, did you just leave?” Dad asked through the door.

  “Yes. That was horrible,” I replied, massaging my arms and turning on the air dry.

  “You need to go help them. You’re strong.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You’re stronger than I am.”

  “Casey, don’t start with me.”

  I put my foot down. “No, Dad, no. I have other things to do.” Grabbing a towel, I wrapped it around myself and headed for my room.

  Dad frowned as the door opened. Then he faltered. “What happened to your arms?”

  I looked at the bruises that were forming. “Running through rain is dangerous. That storm goes for miles and miles. I haven’t explored that far away. I tried and ended up in the ocean.”

  Dad didn’t have an answer for that. He went quiet. I walked into my room, shut my door, and got dressed. Then I headed to my desk and pulled out a notebook I’d stashed in my bottom drawer.

  Pulling it out, I flipped it open to the sketch I’d made of Mom. It was bereft of details. Dad said she had white hair and silver eyes. That was all I had, my mediocre sketch and my amulet. With water in my eyes, I slammed the notebook shut. This is why we do it, Casey. We do it for her and her sacrifice.

  Carefully stashing the notebook, I swapped back to my original amulet, carefully feeling it again in my hand. I liked to think that Mom sort of looked like me before everything. I liked to think that she had brown hair and green eyes. In reality, I had no idea. I still don’t.

  I felt the sorrow building. Fighting to push it away, I got a new distraction.

  I turned my focus inward.

  ~~~

  Darting through the trees, I quickly stopped at each tree.

  I grabbed the second one again. Endurance and enhanced strength were useful.

  Honestly, I wasn’t expecting choices, but I was happy to see them. I grabbed the second one, wanting to be able to rapidly get things in and out.

  I debated that one. The draw to time was in being able to drink a potion and have it work. A shudder rolled through me as I thought of that horrid day. I instantly picked the first.

  I grabbed the first one. Teleporting around would be handy. Then I looked at the others. Potions and Enchanting had leveled, making them a bit stronger. Enhanced Body had advanced, doubling the effect. The rest remained the same.

  Waving goodbye to Ela, I left.

  ~~~

  Sitting at my desk, I began making awakening potions. Minutes ticked by. The storm outside raged, sending streams of water crashing down. Its intensity grew, surging into a massive crescendo of rain and wind. Then it dimmed as the sun descended.

  The sun rose again the next morning. I resumed my own loop of work, slowly preparing the group for the future. I gathered meat and live fish. I made potions, so many potions. It ballooned to include healing potions. I enchanted necklaces and gear.

  Days turned into months. Like the storms and the surf, my little loop repeated over and over. And with each one, I grew more isolated, frustrated, and exhausted.