The rhythm of Vyus's steps carried him across the terrain of his Nexus. The landscape shifted from the dark and dense forest, where he had battled the golem, into more open fields.
The need for water soon became apparent. His throat was dry, and the taste of blood from the golem's final assault was unpleasant, to say the least.
Vyus adjusted his direction, as he heard the subtle sound of flowing water that echoed in the distance.
'Water...'
After some time, the sound grew clearer, revealing a wide, open river. The water shimmered with a light, reflecting upon the sky.
He approached the river and knelt, cupping his hands to drink deeply. It was cool, washing away the fatigue of the battle.
He splashed some onto his face, feeling a small relief from the aches that still lingered in his body.
'Refreshing...' Vyus thought, as he continued this process.
He took a moment to examine his reflection in the still water.
His silver eyes still held a trace of that intense, almost unnatural glow from his recent surge of power.
The now cracked claw-dagger was still within the grasp of his hand.
'I need to fix it soon. For now, it'll suffice,' Vyus mentally reasoned, as he splashed more water onto himself.
Strange light of the inner world began to dim, signaling the approach of night.
Vyus knew he needed to find shelter and gather some essentials.
The mountains were a long journey, and he couldn't afford to be caught unprepared.
Vyus moved away from the riverbank, eyes scanning the surrounding area for potential resources.
He located a patch of large leaves that could serve as a blanket or some sort of covering.
He made sure to gather a decent pile, with efficient movement. Vyus also searched for anything that could be used as fuel for a small fire.
He found some dry, woody stalks and brittle branches that snapped easily.
While the concept of cold might be different in this inner world, the psychological comfort of a fire and the ability to potentially cook anything he might find were valuable.
His gaze locked onto a small, sheltered alcove formed by a cluster of large glowing fungi.
Vyus decided to make his temporary camp there.
He arranged the large leaves to create a somewhat softer resting place and gathered the dry wood nearby.
He took a moment to simply sit, his back against the cool surface of the fungi, and observe the darkening landscape.
As he glared around, he spotted multiple bio-like creatures, which made him break a sweat of concern.
Despite the strangeness of his surroundings, Vyus felt a sense of calmness.
The battle with the golem had pushed him, and the awakening of his new perception had been a revelation.
Finally, he put all of these thoughts aside, as the darkness deepened and the strange sounds of this environment filled the air.
Vyus settled down to rest, his hand instinctively resting on the cracked claw-dagger. Tomorrow, the journey to the mountains would begin.
***
The dawn wasn't heralded by a sun but by a slow luminous sky. The deep darkness gradually decreased, leaving only a piercing light to emerge.
Vyus awoke instantly, with the aches from the previous battles all resulting in simple faints of pain.
It was annoying, to say the least, but it was manageable.
"It's already... morning?"
He rose smoothly from the bed of large leaves, whilst trying to waste no energy.
"I guess I gotta start to depart..."
A glance beneath him confirmed that his claw-dagger was still secure in his grip. Nothing was stolen.
He scanned the surroundings — the glowing fungi pulsed faintly, and the creatures he'd noticed yesterday seemed less active now, perhaps retreating with the brightening sky.
With no further preparation needed or wanted, Vyus turned his gaze towards the path that he'd take, towards the mountains.
Setting off at a steady pace, Vyus began to continue to embark on his adventure.
'I wonder if there'll be any creatures willing to fight me, as I go to the mountains...'
It wasn't that random of a thought, Vyus always yearned for battle.
'But, was that entity lying to me...?'
The thought of the entity lying to Vyus wasn't out of the question — especially because the quest that he was given had almost killed him... several times.
But, he didn't have any other choice — it was the first and only answer he'd gotten after arriving here. Might as well complete it, if he wanted to return.
"Will I be reincarnated, or something."
The entity talked about him returning to the world, but, was he going to do it through reincarnation? It was odd.
These entirely new thoughts absorbed him, but, it didn't change him. He still had that one goal in mind: live.
That was the absolute goal in mind, that wouldn't change, not for the entire time that he'd be here.
But, that begged the question:
"How long has it been?"
With simple memory, he could guarantee that he has been within this inner world for four days right now, but, Vyus wasn't sure whether time here was different from the real world.
Back to reality, he was traversing a stretch of slightly more open ground, with gnarled, leafless trees and patches of moss.
Then, the sounds reached him — sharp yelps, aggressive snarls, and the scuffling sound of struggle.
"What is going on?"
These sounds continued, which was still concerning. Maybe something or someone was dying.
Even though it was the survival of the fittest, Vyus wasn't simply a cold-hearted guy.
Not far off, a pack of lean, white-furred wolves, their forms slightly distorted as if made of compressed shadow, were viciously bullying a single member of their kind.
"Heh... well would you look at that?" Vyus questioned, whilst slightly bursting out a faint chuckle.
He thought that those of the same race would automatically be friendly with each other. But, like the real world, this inner world also follows that eternal rule of life.
This lone wolf, slightly smaller and with patches of fur torn away, was desperately trying to fend off the snapping jaws and aggressive lunges of at least five others.
Vyus watched for only a second, his expression unreadable. He felt no particular pity for the lone wolf, nor any kinship with the pack's brutality.
But, he'd be damned by the deities, if he'd let this sin go unpunished.
One moment, Vyus was a statue, the next he was a blur of motion dashing directly into the chaos.
His arrival was like a phantom wind carrying death. The claw-dagger became a near-invisible arc of destruction.
The leader of the pack didn't even see him coming before its head was severed in a single slice.
Another turned, snarling, only to have the claw-dagger pierce its heart. Vyus flowed between them, his speed utterly overwhelming their animal reactions.
It was over almost before it began, executed with the same precision he'd used on the goblins.
The surviving members of the pack, suddenly leaderless and facing a predator far beyond their comprehension, broke and fled howling into the woods. Vyus didn't pursue it.
He flicked blood from the claw-dagger, whilst slowly turning his gaze upon the lone wolf that remained.
"Wait... what the hell?"
The wolf showed no fear, instead, curiosity. It watched Vyus, with wide eyes, that showed interest.
"I mean... I wouldn't mind a pet," Vyus answered to the wolf, as he knelt before it.
"I'll call you..." Vyus paused for a second.
What can he call him? He's never named anything in his life! Other than rock, when he was little. Then, a conclusion hit him.
"I'll call you Tryss, okay?"
The wolf, now called Tryss, responded with multiple barks of satisfaction. It was decided. He was a companion.
"Seems like you're happy, big man?"
Tryss barked even more, after the comment.
It seems like it liked Vyus, even though he slaughtered the wolf's entire bloodline hierarchy.
But, since this world revolved around his Nexus, it didn't seem like that big of a problem.
"Was this world created when I was born, or something?"
Vyus continued his journey, with his curiosity still at its peak. He wanted to learn more about the world, however, getting out of it was the number one priority for him.
But, what made him more upset was the fact that Tryss might be alone.
'That's not my problem. Maybe, I can find a way to come back. But, if I can't, then Tryss shall be a memory within my already messed up brain.'