[Your Dream Catcher has awakened to an ability.]
[Ability Grade: Unique.]
Finally! Give me something good! Somnu thought while still running from his pursuer, just wearing a different outfit now.
An outfit that seemed on the verge of transforming.
To Somnu, It still looked familiar, but it felt very different from the halloween costume he had left hanging in his home. He was clad in a black and deep plum color from top to bottom. Crossed over his cloak-like garment and loose pants were a series of straps, thick and sturdy, each buckle fastened with precision.
However, the most striking detail about his new outfit was the ominous high collar that stretched like a two sided hoodie. Giving off the vibe of an ancient warrior’s attire, one that wore the skin of their prey, a golden, jagged edge row of what seemed like real fangs surrounded his neck, threatening to close and swallow his head whole at any second.
Wasn’t this supposed to be a crow’s beak?! Why are there sharp fangs poking my neck now?!
Nevertheless, his current appearance, coupled with his lazy white hair strands at the top, black hair on the sides, the scar over his left eyebrow, his hidden tattoo, and the ear piercings… It all made him look like a crazed street punk.
The one thing Somnu was grateful for were the new running shoes that came with the outfit change, however much they contrasted the entire get-up.
[Renaming Halloween Costume…]
[Dream Catcher renamed: Grudgekeeper.]
… better than the alternative I guess.
[Dream Catcher ability: Waif’s Lament.]
[Ability Grade: Unique.]
[Ability description: Crows hold grudges for generations. The more grudges you accumulate, the stronger you get, and the sweeter the payback.]
What does that even mean?! You want me to wrestle with the scarecrow monster or something?!
“?!”
After running for almost an hour and a half, Somnu was finally able to make out the first man-made structure in the distance. He couldn’t quite tell what it was from the murkiness of the swamp, but he knew it would be his best chance to get rid of his persistent pursuer.
The only problem? Just behind the upcoming giant withering trees, standing between them and the new structure in the distance was finally the waters reflecting a green moonlight. A mossy and spongy bog that looked more acidic from the constant rising steam than actual water.
Either way, Somnu had never learned how to swim…
CRASH! SWISSHH!
The sounds Somnu had forcibly blocked came rushing back when he realized his pursuer noticed the same dilemma and started restlessly swinging its long stretched arms. It knew it had to get its prey as quickly as possible now instead of enjoying the chase.
Thankfully, Somnu was running on a full tank again. He had sensed his new outfit was making him stronger, faster. However, he also felt his new strength wouldn’t be enough to fight off his pursuer.
Not yet at least, and definitely not head on.
Head on? He questioned inwardly, then remembered something. Wait!
A moment later, a cheeky smile formed on his face.
Time to get to work!
Without another second of deliberation, Somnu dived behind a stuck out tree root to the side and disappeared from his pursuer’s line of sight.
He had tried this a couple of times already during his long run, but the scarecrow monster seemed to always be able to sniff him out a few moments later.
However, Somnu had something up his sleeve this time, a plan one could say.
***
“!”
The scarecrow monster came to a sudden halt and whipped its head around left and right. It stood in the middle, surrounded by four withering trees, two of which led to the acidic bog.
Crack!
“?!”
With the sound of a branch snapping, the scarecrow twisted its neck to the side, where the figure of its prey was standing just between the two trees leading to the waters.
Even with the murkiness and fog around, the monster could sense the fear radiating from the figure. There was no doubt about it.
WHOOSHH!
The wind whistled as the monster took off towards its prey, swinging both its lanky arms at it before the figure could jump in the water and escape.
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CRASH!
Just when its attacks landed, cutting the prey in half, the fog around it dissipated to reveal the truth. The crimson eyes widened in shock at the sight.
Instead of its prey, what stood in front of it was a makeshift scarecrow, put together by a few branches and the old outfit the scarecrow look-alike had been wearing at first.
“Surprised, aren’t you?” A voice sounded, a voice that seemed to be getting closer, fast.
“?!”
THUD!
“Take that!”
***
Just as the monster turned around to face the voice coming from behind, Somnu came riding a long vine hanging from the ancient giant tree and kicked the monster with all the new might his new Dream Catcher gave him.
A second later, the scarecrow had left the ground and made its way to the acidic bog. Even for a scarecrow monster, it must have known what that meant.
“Make sure to die quickly!” The vine-rider shouted, building more momentum with the vine as if sitting on a swing.
SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASH!
Wait, if it dies, do I get some kind of EXP like in a game too? Seeing his plans bear fruit as his pursuer hit the waters and continued splashing around, Somnu nonchalantly began considering the possible rewards.
However…
[Negative.]
[Unable to load that information at this time.]
So, nothing? That’s a waste. He commented inwardly. Is it because of those errors from before? Would it change after I get that System once the countdown is over?
[Affirmative.]
Somnu sighed and then using his current momentum, he rode the vine up to a high tree branch that was easily the size of the sidewalk on the busy street of Duskville.
Having landed, he forced himself not to look down. While the splashing had thankfully stopped, any misstep and he would fall there too.
For now, due to how big the giant withering trees in this swamp were, he just needed to walk across the branch and take another vine down to that man-made structure he spotted across the bog.
He hoped he could find some safety there, and try to figure out what was going on. However he had gotten to this rotting swamp, he needed to find a way back home as fast as possible.
That was his plan, but one thing Somnu still needed to learn was that plans seldom went to one’s exact wishes.
SPLASH!
“?!”
Just as Somnu built up courage to stand on the branch, a sudden splash of acidic water alerted him to look behind.
And there, he saw it, the scarecrow’s arm, or more specifically the long straws that acted like its arm, wrapped around the branch behind him. Although he didn’t want to follow it with his eyes, he forced himself to look down.
The sight made him shudder in place, his brows furrowing.
The scarecrow monster was pulling itself up to the branch. Covered in some acidic green goo, steam rising from its figure and the stitches on its mouth finally breaking apart, it looked like a true nightmare determined to consume its prey.
Holy Crow-shit! How persistent are you?!
Quickly catching his breath, Somnu didn’t wait and took off running across the branch again.
“WRAGHHH!!!!”
“!!”
With its mouth finally free from its shackles, and having landed on the branch too, the scarecrow monster let out an ear-shattering shout that blurred the concept of a roar and a shriek together.
“Dammit! Chill! I did you a favor here!” Somnu shouted while running at top speed again. “You needed that bath!”
“GRAWWWWGGHH!!”
With another horrific sound, the scarecrow took off chasing behind his prey again, lashing both its arms around and shattering pieces of the branch.
“What are you doing, moron!?”
Feeling the tremors beneath his running feet, Somnu quickly feared the worst.
“You’ll break the branch and we’ll both fall! Stop it!” He shouted back, but to no avail.
As wide and thick as the tree branch was, at the rate things were going, it would only be a matter of seconds for the monster to cause enough damage to topple it.
With no choice but to run again, Somnu focused on finding a way out instead of reasoning with the mindless beast. The man-made structure was quickly becoming clear, but he could see the end of the branch coming before he would make it there.
To make matters worse, the branch was starting to descend with every hit, and the vines descending from it were quickly becoming useless. They would never hold out long enough, let alone go in that direction if the branch fell. Relying on them was a recipe for failure.
No choice! I have to jump at the end of the branch!
That was the conclusion Somnu came to. With his current speed and jump power, he knew they would be enough to get him across the bog below, or what’s left of it.
The only thing he didn’t know was if his new outfit would also help him stick the landing.
Agh! Screw it! Better that than to fall into whatever is in that water!
Somnu made up his mind and stretched the limits of his speed as he quickly approached the end of the branch.
THUD!
CRACK!
A second later, he was in the air, above the falling branch.
“!”
He forced his body to turn around, and made eye contact with the scarecrow looking up at him in shock.
A snicker formed on Somnu’s face, he raised both arms and gave the monster the fingers.
“And this time, stay dead dumbass!”
“GRAWWWWGGHH!!”
The monster roared and clawed at everything around it, trying to hold on to anything it could to save its fall, but to no avail. It fell down with the branch it cut.
You reap what you sow, idiot! Somnu added inwardly as he watched his pursuer fall below him.
Crow-shit, me too! I still have to land here somehow!
[Affirmative.]
You’re still here? How about you help?!
[Negative.]
[Expected time till initiation: 01 Hours 58 Minutes 17 Seconds.]
Thanks for the reminder! Hurry it up! At this rate, I won’t live that long!
Somnu continued plummeting towards the ground.
He could only rely on himself to survive.
Somehow.
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