A sharp pinching pain brings me back from the dark clutches of sleep, I see a cow pecking at my arm. Shaking my arm scares it off, looking around I can see that the corpse of the wolf I'd slain prior had it's head thoroughly eaten by the corvids now surrounding me. Seemingly they had gone after the easy to get to brain before giving me a taste.

  Getting up the birds scatter to the treetops, staring at me with hungry eyes, their black feathers giving an ominous feeling. Checking my possessions I see that I'd bled on the book that had been loaned to me, in a panicked turn I open the book to see if the pages were damaged. Thankfully the book was unharmed but there was a second page with red writing on it "Mana is the energy of reality, binding and..." the text fades off, but I get the feeling this book has a thirst for a grim fluid.

  Turning back to the wolf the grisly task of trying to skin it with a broken shard of rock was slow and difficult but needed to be done, I don't know where I am and I knew anything I find could be of use. The messy task of an unskilled skinner left a decent puddle of blood son the ground, carefully dipping the book in the puddle to see if my instincts were right showed me that I was right. The book like a hungry sponge soaked up the blood leaving not a drop on the dirt. Putting the book aside I go gather some firewood so that the meat won't go to waste.

  I attempt to butcher the wolfs meat but the shard didn't really cut well into the meat properly enough to make steaks so I result in grabbing a rock and breaking the femur before hacking away the connective tissue, this results in a crude leg of meat for me to cook, I repeat the process on the other legs and spit roast the meat over a fire.

  I try my best to scrape the flesh from the inside of the best section of hide I'd managed to skin, it was a strip about a meter by two. I don't have the means to tan it but there was still use in keeping it. Patiently cooking the meat I watch the birds return to the corpse to have their feast on it's now exposed guts, I don't stop them as I've got my harvest and hungry animals are problems. "Is this to be my life? Just beast and bird as food and company?"

  Watching the birds eat I see them expose a brown sphere behind the sternum, I walk over and the birds back off, allowing me to pull it out and wander back to my fire. Immediately the corvids return to their feast eyeing me warily.

  After overcooking the meat to dry it out I eat my fill before bundling my humble belongings in the hide and heading towards the mountain, by the looks of the sun I still have a couple hours before sunset and the idea of being out in the dark where there could be more of those monstrous wolves was not welcome in my head. As I walk away I can see the corvids watching me from their feast, "I hope they don't get another chance to try eating me" I keep my ears primed as I walk to prevent another ambush but thankfully my journey is unmolested.

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Whilst climbing a steeper part of the mountain's base I found an alcove with an entrance about double my size and an interior the size of a living room. Deeming this alcove sufficient to my needs I go gather some firewood and start a campfire just inside the entrance. Standing out the front and letting the fire smoke out the alcove I listen for any sounds. After maintaining the fire for a long while I let it die out and start reading the book again.

  "Mana is the energy of reality, binding and warping the world around us, all living beings are subject to it whilst being able to exert limited changes to it. Within mana dense environments most living beings will subconsciously develop a mana core, this mana core is a reflection of the entity within it and the more mana proficient the entity the higher quality a core they will poses. Some beings (you) are mana deficient as their home (your dirtball) is in a particularly drained portion of reality. Creatures venturing from deficient areas to locations overflowing with excess mana are able to develop a core" Now they tell me, that must've been what I did earlier "Using this core and knowledge of the arcane you shall be able to complete your (fools) errand" This book has it out for me "This comprehensive guide will show you how to lay anchor for your most benevolent benefactor"

  "Red this is a bit much don't you think?" I sigh

  To no ones surprise I get no response so I continue reading as the smoke is still leaving the alcove, "First step is to start the foundation, you are to place this simple rune in the center of a three meter circle of cleared flat space" The symbol it shows is an odd spiraling and whirling one with three focal points joined together with spiraling lines that go back and forth spiraling in and out of themselves on their meandering journey, looking closely in between the lines seems to be little symbols or writing that I can't quite recognise.

  The fire finally extinguished and the smoke cleared out I head into the cave to see if there had been any occupants, to my displeasure I find the remains of many spider corpses that the smoke had killed. Some of the spiders were as big as dinner plates and I'm glad that I didn't decide to sleep in there first. The sun setting down in the horizon encourages me to get some rest so I lay out my belongings and use the wolf pelt as a blanket to sleep. Though I had to sleep on my stomach as my back was still in no condition to lay on.

  I gladly embrace this uncomfortable sleep and like ways the darkness claims my tired body.