Chapter 3: Ch3 – First Night

Moonlight filtered through the thick canopy, casting eerie shadows that crawled across the tangled undergrowth. Water droplets struck leaves above softly, threading a gentle rhythm through the heavy silence. Branches shifted under the weight of rain, sending shadows dancing beneath.

Perched fifteen meters up a damp, prickly tree, Ryan struggled to find comfort. The cold, wet forest air clung to him, and his suit offered about as much protection as wet cardboard.

His mind drifted back to Earth, lingering on thoughts of his mother. What was she doing right now? Did time flow the same way on Earth as it did here? Was he even still within the Milky Way Galaxy? Why was magic present in this world yet absent from Earth? He wished he could let her know he was still alive—at least for now.

Ryan’s stomach growled sharply, breaking his train of thoughts. Food was becoming an increasingly important issue. But he knew there would be no chance of finding any food in the dark. Not safely.

He grimaced, thinking practically. Another night or two without food wouldn’t kill him, but if he couldn’t protect himself soon, something else would. Maybe it was time to try the magic meditation Jake had mentioned.

“Crack”

Ryan froze, heart pounding as rustling disturbed the stillness. Carefully, he leaned by forward, scanning the shadows below.

A massive silhouette moved slowly beneath him, four-legged and monstrous. It resembled a buffalo but was larger, its twisted horns gleaming ominously in the moonlight.

Ryan pressed his body tight against the tree trunk, every muscle tense.

The creature sniffed the air, seeming to sense something nearby. Ryan’s pulse quickened as it paused directly beneath his hiding spot, its heavy breathing audible even from above.

Then another sound pierced the night—a shrill, terrifying screech. Not from the buffalo, but from something deeper in the forest.

A creature burst into view—a monstrous fox-shaped beast, moving like a phantom, its massive tail trailing behind. It lunged forward at impossible speed, closing the distance in moments.

A whip-like snap echoed as the fox’s tail swung sideways, tearing through trees effortlessly. The buffalo staggered, briefly stunned.

Ryan stared, barely daring to breathe.

Recovering quickly, the buffalo opened its maw. A pale glow built within its throat, and in the next instant, the fox crashed limply to the forest floor, twitching before falling still.

Ryan shuddered.

The buffalo monster approached its kill slowly, beginning to feed. Bones cracked sharply, and flesh tore. Ryan squeezed his eyes shut, trembling as nausea rose sharply. The iron scent of blood filled the air, overwhelming and heavy.

He held back another gag, forcing his body to stay still, silent and unseen. The creature fed leisurely, and half an hour or so later, it disappeared into the night.

How is this a low-risk world Jake?

He waited motionless for hours, muscles stiff with fear, until finally dawn’s soft glow filtered through the trees. Only then did he descend carefully from his perch, cautiously approaching the fallen creature.

The fox lay sprawled grotesquely, its neck nearly severed, head hanging loosely by a strip of sinew. Intricate runes glowed faintly along its fur, ethereal and strange.

The rain, which had now stopped, must have washed away most of the blood.

It might’ve been a beautiful sight, if not for the gaping chest wound, dangling head and the stink of rot.

Turning away with disgust, Ryan noticed a massive, dart-shaped rock embedded deep into a nearby tree.

So that’s how the buffalo monster had killed it.

If I don’t learn magic soon, I’ll share a similar fate.

Ryan’s stomach twisted again, insistent on food. He briefly considered the fox carcass but recoiled immediately when he saw maggots wriggling through torn flesh.

Having already scoured the nearby area for food yesterday without success, he felt his desperation rising. Searching further out risked encountering that buffalo again—or something worse. He could try harnessing magic to protect himself.

First, though, he had to check if there was civilisation anywhere nearby.

Climbing back up his tree, Ryan pushed through thinning branches until he reached the treetop. Balancing carefully, he scanned the horizon.

Nothing.

No towns, no smoke, no signs of life.

Just an endless, overwhelming sea of trees stretching infinitely in all directions.

Slowly, defeated, Ryan descended and sat heavily on his perch. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep, soothing breath.

Focus. Calm. Find the magic.

He pictured shimmering threads of magical blue energy surrounding him, reminiscent of games from his childhood.

But no matter how hard he tried, he felt nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Desperation grew into simmering frustration. When he finally opened his eyes, the sun was high overhead.

How long had he been sitting here, meditating uselessly?

Ryan sighed heavily, fatigue and hunger gnawing at him. He glanced around, looking for anything that might provide sustenance. A faint rustling nearby caught his attention, and he cautiously turned his head. A small, squirrel-like creature scurried quickly up another tree, its movements agile and silent. Ryan’s hunger intensified, and he briefly considered chasing it, but the idea quickly vanished. There was no chance he could catch something so nimble.

He leaned back, eyes drifting upward to the branches around him, barren and fruitless. Hunger twisted sharply within him again.

“Magic better work soon” he muttered, or I’m going to become monster food before I even get a chance to die heroically.

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