Book 2: Chapter 6: Inspiration

Book 2: Chapter 6: Inspiration

The Gryphon, an esteemed creature native to the wilderness near Misery's Reach's mountainous terrain, has long been associated with the mountain tribes. These tribes, across generations, first tamed and ultimately domesticated these formidable beasts. Through the passage of commerce, their presence has extended throughout the mortal realms, often taking residence in the menageries and stables of affluent nobles who possess the means to satiate their ravenous appetites. Though domesticated breeds are mere echoes of their untamed counterparts, they remain formidable, albeit temperamental, aerial steeds.

- Monsters of the Mortal Realms by K. D. Fidditch.

I woke up under the thick branches of the trees, rested and ready for a new day. Once again I had slept in full armor, which was beginning to become a habit. A part of me despaired at my slovenly behavior.

Back on Earth, sleeping in the clothes I had worn during the day had gone against my modern sensibilities. Every day there would be a change of underclothes and clean socks, all at the press of a button. However, that comfortable and civilized life was, to all intents and purposes, a galaxy away. This caused me to marvel at how well my mind had adapted to my strange circumstance. Compartmentalization was probably what had enabled me to retain my sanity. I would need to unpack all of these emotions and thoughts at a later date when we returned to some form of civilization.

The familiar smell of meat cooking on the fire was in the cool morning air, causing my stomach to rumble in anticipation. The aroma was piquant. Elwin had probably used some of the sundry spices we had bought in Ansan.

Slowly rising to my feet, I removed my gloves and hooked them to my belt. Patting my hands around my waist, I panicked a little as I noticed the leather pouch with the Karilla hatchling I had captured the previous night was no longer on my person. For a few moments, I thought that my companions had started to cook the poor thing for breakfast.

Elwin cocked an eye at me at my predicament, a wry smile on his face as he cooked a few pieces of meat over our campfire. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kidu diligently maintaining his equipment.

“You was tossing and turning a bit in your sleep. Mumbling about some real odd stuff. Kidu thought you were having a religious visitation. I noticed the pouch moving at your side. You would have crushed it, too, with all your flailing and moving about,” explained the Rogue, almost as if he was merely commenting about the weather.

My night terrors and general flailing must have been caused by my dark dreams. Becoming so inured to their visitations, I barely noticed them anymore, and simply forgot their imparted messages upon waking. A part of me had simply accepted them as an annoyance to be suffered, like the buzzing and bites of a bloodsucking mosquito.The inaugural upload of this chapter took place via N0v3l-B1n.

The Rogue's explanation drew a grunt from Kidu as he sharpened his spear, but the taciturn man, choosing to not join in the one-sided exchange, never even looked up.

Elwin, seeing that I was still at a loss, gestured to the tree I had slept against. “Behind you, mate. You’ll find your little pet still in the bag,” explained the Rogue, answering my unspoken inquiry and going back to his cooking.

“Thanks...” I murmured, half-groggily as I turned around, sleep still soaked into my bones.

Slowly gathering myself, I muttered as I began checking my things. Looking into my bag, I checked to see if the healing potions I had bought from the eccentric alchemist were still alright. As my hands tested their seals, I was reminded of the Broomshead mushrooms I had collected for their maker. Hopefully, the collected fungi would help in some way to perhaps earning me a permanent discount at his store.

Now that focus had finally won over the last dregs of sleep, I found myself standing fully upright and my thoughts grew steadily clearer. Looking to where the Rogue had indicated, I saw that my tied leather pouch was hanging from a low-lying tree branch. My experiment was still safe for the moment. Edging closer, I opened the bag and was greeted by a foul smell. The creature was alive, but it had defecated in the night. The smell of fecal matter and the pervading scent of animal fear overpowered the pleasant aroma of the meat cooking on the fire.

“First name terms with the lady smith? You work fast. Married too,” insinuated Elwin, chuckling a little when he saw I had all but frozen in embarrassment.

The human mind is a wonderful thing that constantly parses all sorts of mundane and esoteric data. A supercomputer capable of changing and evolving. A true marvel of nature. My mind now was hit by what Elwin said. ‘Work’ and ‘fast’. Speed and experience. The connection between them had been an idea that my mind had been trying to analyze subconsciously for a long time. Triggered by Elwin’s words, my thoughts went off on an unexpected tangent. Why did I gain Status, Skill, and experience points quickly initially before the rate rapidly started to drop off?

Experience. I theorized that I needed to experience new and challenging things to benefit from maximum rates of growth. Sure, repetition could work in a fashion but there would be limits, a plateau of sorts. This was a classic mechanic of rapidly diminishing returns. When trying to gain more experience or improve Skills through the same, actions, the amount of experience gained and the chance of improving a Skill would be dramatically reduced.

That was probably why I stopped gaining points when I was stuck behind bars. A shudder passed through me as I briefly relived the memory of that time.

But then why did I gain a similar amount of experience when I killed something? A cold echo answered me. The logical conclusion was a silent judgment on my soul. Murder. Every life that I took was different. But were their lives even real in the first place. More importantly, did I care?

Then there was my rate of growth in comparison to the denizens of this world who lived almost all their lives here...

My bleak thoughts on the nature of the world were, however, rewarded, and it confirmed to me that I was perhaps on the right track.

You have gained 1 Wisdom

I lost focus of the world around me. Guilt, and the ramifications of what this world was trying to make me do, were shaking me to the core.

“Hello, Gil! You there? Did you eat something funny? Or are you just remembering all of the fun times you had with the smith? I heard from Devon that she had quite the nice rack! By the Dark Lady, you can be a bit of a loon staring off into space all of the time!” laughed Elwin at my stunned silence which drew an annoyed look from the man mountain, Kidu.

Realizing that I had been staring out into space for a long while, I laughed in awkward good humor. I replied to the wiry man, “No my good man. I’ve just been hit with a flash of inspiration!”

“That sounds a wee bit dangerous, coming from you. Will it involve us having to kill a few more local monsters that can chop us in half?” Elwin said in return, a hint of suspicion laced in his voice.

“No, not at all,” I said, a new idea coalescing in my mind, “Got a moment Kidu? I wish to test my Strength against you,” I finished with these magic words, perfectly designed to get the massive man’s attention.

Pausing in his current chore, he waited a long moment before answering my challenge.

“It would be an honor,” he rumbled like an avalanche from the cold frozen north.