An Eerie Discovery

Early in the morning, Rayna woke to the crisp air, the coolness of the cave now a distant memory. She knew neither of them had eaten much since they arrived here. With a determined look, she decided to find something edible, hoping to surprise Logan with a meal.

As she ventured out, she found an abundance of plants and mushrooms near the cave entrance. Yet, none looked appetizing or safe to eat, especially without proper tools to cook them. Frustrated but resolute, Rayna made her way deeper into the forest, hoping to find something that had fallen from a tree or been injured during the monstrous battle the night before. To her surprise, the forest seemed to have almost completely repaired itself, with only fallen trees and scratched rocks to prove that the battle had even happened.

She acknowledged the regeneration and pulled out the glowing orange gem, brainstorming how the magic in this place could be used. Maybe she had some of this magic inside her. The thought echoed in her mind. Fire? Water? Earth? Wind? Were those even the elements here? Did magic work that way? Would she have one or all of them? Theories and possible techniques danced in her mind as she tracked her way through the forest. But a snapped twig pulled her focus back to reality. Looking to her left, she spotted a spotted beetle, similar to the one she saw the night before. It was small, roughly the size of a medium-sized dog. Seeing this as a very low-tier find, she didn't need to worry about it getting away—making it the perfect opportunity to experiment. Assuming she had magic, she attempted to cast a spell.

"FIREBALL!" …Nothing.

"BALL OF FIRE!" …Still nothing.

"FIRE BLAST!" …Silence.

She sighed. "Amaterasu," she muttered, chuckling to herself. Of course, that wouldn't work.

All that screaming made the beetle fly away, leaving Rayna looking at her hand dejected. "Yelling out the attack didn't work. Of course, it didn't. It always seemed so stupid in shows anyway."

Maybe she needed to act like the beast that used those blasts. Why try to come up with something new when nature had been doing it for eons? Rayna imagined the bear. She needed to become the bear. Sitting on the forest floor, she closed her eyes. I am the bear… I… AM… BEAR! She thought about the blast that came out of its mouth, the fire building up inside, the heat surging through its body, then expelling it all out—releasing itself from that heat. With all of this in mind, Rayna opened her mouth, letting out a roar and releasing… a burp.

Stone-faced, and with her hunger returning, she decided that a weapon would suit her better than magic. A bow would be perfect. Going deeper into the forest, she stumbled upon a weirdly shaped lump covered in overgrowth. Her focus shifted. What could it be? Uncovering the overgrowth, she found something that blew her mind. It looked like a mech of some sort—corroded metal with circuitry engraved into it. Gliding her hand over it, Rayna could imagine the power that once resided in this glorious machine. It sat at least twenty feet tall. She climbed on top of it, seeing a glass cockpit with a hole blasted through it. Wiping away some dust, she revealed symbols she couldn't understand. Taking note of them, she examined the hole in the glass. It was melted rather than shattered—meaning the hole was formed by a beam or something that moved so fast it vaporized the material on impact.

A creeping fear climbed up her spine. The mech looked like it had been here for hundreds of years. The possibility that civilization had fought itself to extinction was a very real thought. What would Logan and she do? In an unknown world, this was the worst-case scenario. Should she tell Logan? She shook off the thought. It would be better to keep this to herself for now.

Moving on, she searched for anything salvageable. After a while, she found a long pistol-like weapon—though to her, it could be considered a rifle—with a port that held a gem. Unlike hers, however, this one lacked any power or glow. She also found a bundle of stretchy wire or rope, and lastly, a knife so massive it could be considered a greatsword for her, with another port and gem embedded in it, solidifying her theory that these gems were a way to power objects.

As she examined her findings, a faint growling and the sound of heavy stomping reached her ears. Quickly, she climbed a nearby tree, staying out of sight. The beast drew nearer, and Rayna's eyes widened as she recognized it—it was the monster from the night before. But this time, it didn't sound furious. In fact, it sounded weary.

The beast limped heavily, a massive gash scaling its side, still bleeding. The injury was so severe that Rayna couldn't help but cringe. She wondered how it had managed to survive such a deep wound. She made a mental note: never cross that other creature again, and if she did, run as far as she could.

Returning her focus to the injured beast, Rayna saw an opportunity—a meal. It was a golden chance, one she might never get again if she let it slip away. She followed the bear from the treetops, staying as quiet and invisible as possible. Her mind was razor-sharp, every step calculated. The bear grew weaker as time passed, its wound pouring blood like a leaky faucet.

Now, Rayna was faced with a choice: let the beast succumb to its wounds or finish it off herself. Her stomach ached, demanding that she take action. It was a hunger that made her muscles tense, her palms sweaty, and her mouth water. She needed to eat. She wanted to eat. But she also knew she had to wait. A premature attack could seal her fate.

Taking a few deep breaths to compose herself, Rayna held perfectly still, observing the creature. The bear's dark brown fur was streaked with red markings that steamed from its nose to midsection. Its forelegs were massive, supporting the creature's weight with ease, while its hind legs looked stocky yet powerful. And the claws—razor-sharp, ready to tear through anything that came too close.

Rayna took mental notes. All these details would be critical when the time came to strike.

Suddenly, the bear sniffed the air and changed direction. Rayna followed at a careful distance. Her heart rate increased as the bear's path grew closer to the cave. She began to sweat. The bear was heading straight for Logan. He could be in danger.