Dawn painted the waystation courtyard in shades of gold and shadow. Mike stood beside Daisy, testing his range of motion. His health had climbed to 1,850 overnight through careful application of Biorhythm Restoration. Not to full health however, he didnât want to draw too much attention. The worst wounds had closed, leaving pink scars that would fade within days.
"You heal fast," Adrian observed, leading his own mount from the stables. The young hunter had traded his torn clothes for a borrowed guard uniform that fit reasonably well.
âYouâve seen my healing ability.â Mike said âLetâs keep that knowledge between ourselvesâ. He'd risen early to avoid questions about his recovery speed. Most people would need weeks to heal from yesterday's injuries.
Lucian emerged from the waystation, two horses in tow. "Lord Aldric kept his word. Fresh mounts for the village." He studied Mike with sharp eyes. "You sure you're up for travel? Millhaven's still a day's ride."
"I'll manage."
The courtyard filled with activity as Aldric's reduced party prepared to depart. Three knights remained combat-ready. Two others would stay at the waystation until their injuries healed further. Sister Mara moved between them, distributing some last minute heals.
"Adrian," Lucian said, checking his saddle straps. "Ready to head home? Your aunt and uncle will be worried sick."
Adrian shifted his weight, glancing between his neighbour and Mike. "Actually... I was hoping to continue to Millhaven."
Lucian's eyebrows rose. "That so?"
"Seeing Mike fight, watching how Lord Aldric's knights moved as a unit..." Adrian straightened. "I've been hunting the same trails for three years. Yesterday opened my eyes to how much more there is. How much more I could be."
"And you think Millhaven will teach you that?"
"I think staying in the village won't." Adrian met Lucian's gaze steadily. "You taught me everything about tracking, hunting, surviving. But there are other kinds of strength. Other ways to protect myself. to protect other people."
Lucian was quiet for a long moment. Then he smiled, though Mike caught sadness in it. "Your mother felt the same at your age. Difference is, she found what she needed in the village. But then again, maybe that wasnât enough in the end" He clasped Adrian's shoulder. "If this is your path, I won't stand in your way. But visit. Your family will want to know you're safe."
"I will. I promise."
Lucian handed Adrian some of the furs he obtained from the dark wolves. âCan you take care of that for Mike? You can sell it in Millhaven and make some coin.â âAnd here is one for you, to get you started thereâ. The furs were already handled to be ready for travel, Mike realized. He completely forgot about that, but he guessed the money would come in handy.
âI have left the Behemothâs skin for natural curing, my abilities did not seem to work on it, might be the high level,â Lucian said. âCaptain Morris said they would hold on to it for us for the time being. Iâll come back in a few days to check it out. Take the talons, in the meantime. Maybe in Millhaven someone will know if they have any valueâ. He handed Mike a leather bag with the talons inside.
Lord Aldric approached, armor polished but still bearing yesterday's gouges. "Lucian, my offer stands. Any from your village who wish sanctuary in Millhaven will be welcomed. We'll send supply wagons within the week."
"Appreciated, Lord Governor. Though knowing my neighbors, most will insist on defending their homes."
"Stubborn, rural folk."
"Have to be." Lucian swung into his saddle with practiced ease. "I'll spread word about the Behemoth. Make sure people understand this isn't normal wolf trouble."
He looked at Mike one last time. "Try not to find any more Level 70 monsters between here and Millhaven."
"I'll do my best." Though he wondered if some wonât find him.
With final farewells, Lucian and his spare mounts headed south toward the village. Mike watched him go, thinking about the lives that would change based on his warning.
"Mount up," Aldric commanded. "We've got ground to cover."
Mike approached Daisy, who nickered softly in recognition. Yesterday's desperate ride had been his first time on horseback. Today needed to go better.
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"Need help?" Adrian offered.
"Just watch. Let me see the technique."
Adrian demonstrated, his lithe body moving swiftly and cleanly. Mike's Enhanced Perception caught every detail: weight distribution, hand placement, the slight bounce that carried momentum into the saddle. When his turn came, Mike replicated the motion. Not perfectly, but well enough to mount without embarrassing himself.
They rode out in formation. Aldric led with two knights. Mike and Adrian followed, with Sister Mara between them. The final knight brought up the rear, alert for pursuit that everyone hoped wouldn't come.
The first hour passed in relative quiet. Mike focused on observing the experienced riders, noting how they moved with their horses rather than fighting the motion. His body began adapting, muscle memory forming as Enhanced Perception fed information to his improving technique.
"You're learning quickly," Sister Mara commented. "First time yesterday?"
"First time on anything bigger than a pony at a county fair," Mike admitted.
"Could've fooled me. You're already sitting better than some soldiers I've known."
The road wound through farmland, past fields lying fallow for winter planting. Workers paused to watch their lord pass, some raising hands in greeting. Normal people living normal lives, unaware that something ancient stirred in the deep forest.
Adrian pulled alongside. "Can I ask you something?"
Mike nodded.
"Yesterday, when you wrapped that invisible thread around the sword. How did you know it would work? â
Mike had wondered when someone would ask. The discovery had been born from desperation, an attempt that proved itself, but the implications were enormous.
âThereâs a story I know about someone who used a stone in a similar manner, and was able to defeat a stronger opponentâ Mike answered. âThat might have given me the idea, but I tried it and it proved effective.â
. "So you could move anything? Without any limitations?"
"Iâm not sure. Affecting higher level targets would cost more, thatâs why I didn't use it directly on the Behemoth, and there are probably other limitations I haven't discovered yet."
"That's... that's brilliant. Changes everything about how the ability works."
It did, though Mike was still processing the full ramifications. In his old life, finding exploits in game systems had been amusing. Here, it might mean survival.
As they rode on, Mike decided he could finally examine his progression. Time to see what yesterday's desperate battle had earned him.
Abilities Progress:
* Pattern Analysis - No progress shown
* Recursive Strike (Rank 1): 28/100 experience
* Thread Manipulation (Rank 1): 47/100 experience
* Mirror Weave (Rank 1): 4/100 experience
* Pattern Shield (Rank 1): 31/100 experience
* Biorhythm Restoration (Rank 1): 15/100 experience
* Reality Stitch (Rank 1): 1/100 experience
* Pattern Bomb (Rank 1): 3/100 experience
* Adaptive Patterns (Rank 1): 4/100 experience
* Temporal Patterns - No progress shown
âWow, much better gainsâ, Mike noticed. âThe level of the opponent must contribute to that progress, or perhaps the difficulty of the fight. Still, nothing higher than rank 1. I probably would have had higher ranks in my abilities had I levelled the proper wayâ¦â
Skills Progress::
* Enhanced Perception (Rank 1): 34/100 experience
* Out of Chaos Comes Order (Rank 1): 41/100 experience
* Pattern Optimization (Rank 1): 31/100 experience
* Pattern Mastery (Rank 1): 4/100 experience
* Logical Processing (Rank 1): 11/100 experience
* Empirical Learning (Rank 1): 10/100 experience
* Combat Flow (Rank 1): 30/100 experience
* Analytical Focus (Rank 1): 8/100 experience
* Weakness Threading (Rank 1): 23/100 experience
* Pattern Prediction (Rank 1): 27/100 experience
âNice gains in his skills as well. Though some showed more gains than others.â Mike thought. âI need to consider how I can advance these since they contribute not only during combat but also outside.â
The sun climbed higher, warming away the morning chill. They stopped at midday to rest the horses at a stream crossing. Mike dismounted more smoothly than he'd managed yesterday, earning an approving nod from one of the knights.
"We're making good time," Aldric announced. "Should reach Millhaven's outer farms by late afternoon."
Mike stretched, working out saddle stiffness. His health had continued creeping upward, now sitting at 2,100. By tonight he'd be fully recovered, at least physically.
They continued their ride, Mike wondering what Millhaven would be like.