Wandering around the forest, it was easy enough to get lost in it. Luckily, the full moon was enough for visibility, though the tree branches were much of an annoyance.
Of course, when it comes to examining said resources, I made sure to use a rag as a substitute for gloves, in case I accidentally touched something toxic. Such things could have been treatable, but alas here I am, one thousand years in the past.
I could have waited for dawn, but there's no telling what 'chores' I'll be forced to do. Besides, just as the wagon driver said, there are no bandits anytime soon.
Speaking of which, perhaps it might be the stable period. After all, King Æthelstan is not only renowned for securing alliances through his sisters but also for his collection of relics and construction of churches, which he couldn't have done without financial backing. It was rumored that Duke Hugh of Frank even sent the Lance of Charlemagne as a wedding gift for the king's half-sister, though such authenticity is questionable at best.
Still, I kept my focus.
After walking for what seemed to be hours, I managed to find a couple of herbs and roots that might have some medicinal properties. That or I found something new to eat.
Regardless, it's a win-win situation. Continue strolling around as the bag of hay becomes lighter and lighter. At this rate, once I compose proper research, I might be remembered as a scholar in history.
Once I run out of trail marks, then I shall retrace my steps back to the same road I have gotten myself off. The only question is, how do I sneak into the village?
Thinking carefully, I decided to try to break through the wall. Whoever constructed them, wasn't even a carpenter, as those fences could fall apart at any time. But then that would lead to another question, how could I avoid being interrogated if I get caught?
I remain unsure if these people could perform an investigation. For all they know, it might be an animal trying to get in.
I was bound to hit gold until I heard something.
Pausing where I stood, I faced the direction where what seemed to be a bush rustling. It was hard enough to see in the dark, but then I remembered something from a movie about predators having night vision.
Quickly, I took steps back until I hit a tree. Not that I might get away from whatever's lurking in the dark, but it was instinct that suppressed my reasoning, amplifying my fears.
"Quack Quack Quack!"
"... A duck? What the fuck? Bruh scared the shit out of me."
I sat back down thinking how absurd my situation was.
Was it my punishment for committing suicide? What kind of joke leaves a man in a world of no moral consciousness? Must have been shitty luck to be thrust back to the ripoff version of medieval fantasy, because it's real life.
As I took a breather, I watched the duck wobble around. Perhaps I could take this duck and wait for it to lay eggs. If not, then I guess I can just cut it open and grill it.
*Snap*
"Oh, Another duck? Maybe I can-"
Something swiftly grasps the neck of the duck.
*Snap*
This time, it wasn't a twig.
Watching the duck head dangled around, the dark figure emerged into the moonlight.
*Growl*
"Ohhhh fuck..."
Wait, I remember watching a documentary about surviving an encounter with wildlife. It is said that I need to make myself as large as I can, intimidating the beast.
The wolf dropped the duck, staring at me. I think I just made myself a bigger prize. Of all the times when animal activist advice only appeals to adults, I don't think they have in mind a scrawny little kid out in the middle of the woods.
"Screw it."
I immediately ran through the bushes, pushing aside the branches as I kept sprinting away from danger. Even my brain and heart are screaming to get the fuck out of here before that thing eats me!
No doubt the wolf's following me, with all the ruckus and trails I'm leaving behind.
Despite these little legs galloping a few miles per hour, it was the fastest I have ever run.
I was so confident that I must have outran the wolf, that the moment I tried to turn my head to look back, I saw it right beside me as it jumped with its fangs out.
"Wat te FUCK!?"
I immediately ducked as I forced my legs to turn in a different direction. This was no ordinary wolf. No matter how many hunting videos or documentaries show how naive these dogs were, this is an era when gunpowder had yet to arrive in Europe, and mother nature still reigns supreme.
The wilderness is her domain and I just happen to arrogantly intrude on her land.
I kept sprinting as fast as these lungs could catch air, but the muscle had their limits. There wasn't even a lot of it to begin with.
I quickly hide behind a tree as I catch my breath. I kept peeking out of the forest, knowing a predator was hunting me with every step.
A few moments have passed, giving me enough time to recover my strength. But the mental agony has traumatized me beyond belief. This was what it feels for a horror game scaring the shit out of you enough to try to run away from the danger, only that I'm actually doing the running!
As I rested my back on the tree, I heard something.
*Snap*
I looked up and there it was, preparing to ambush me where I was most vulnerable.
Within a split second, the wolf lunges towards me with all four of its feet fanged against the dirt, as its jaw widens with razor-sharp teeth.
"OH SHIT!"
I raised my hand, trying to block away the fucking wolf from getting closer.
Little did I know, my hand emits a surge of energy as it forms a blue circle. It was as if the veins of my arm started pumping so much blood, that my heart might be squeezed dry from the consumption.
It fires a large projectile towards the wolf as it realizes what happened. Perhaps the wolf's last thoughts were its instincts telling it to run as far away as possible, but it was too late.
*Splat*
*Boom* *Boom* *boom* boom* boom*
A moment later, I opened my eyes and saw the carnage before me.
"What the hell!?" I gasped.
Where the wolf was proudly charging, all that was left was a sizzling corpse with a giant hole through the head and all the way to its tail. But behind it, the tree sections were completely destroyed, followed by falling from the tree stumps as if a clean shot was delivered.
I took a good look at my hands as the circle disappeared. I managed to get a good glimpse of my arm glowing a faded blue until it disappeared.
"Oh my god..."
'What was that!?' I thoughted.
Of all the shit been happening to me, I thought reincarnating into the past was weird. But the moment I somehow blasted the wolf's head to smithereens, this wasn't even the half of it.
'Wait... Was that a magic circle??? Do I have fucking magic?!'
I thought being trapped in the past as a peasant was bad enough, it wasn't the tip of the iceberg. I have magic, in literally superstitious timeline where you get burned to death by an angry mob just because someone said so.
"Oh fuck... Oh fuck no ohhhh fuck"
What kind of funny joke is god playing? If he was real, what the hell am I doing here?
I immediately ran away as if it was a crime scene. If I remain there even a single second, someone is bound to pop out and say 'Witch!'
--------------------------
Once again, I was lost in the forest.
I could feel it had been hours since I walked past the same tree five times!
I need to hurry back to the village before they start wondering where I'm at. If those idiots managed to connect the dots of a destroyed forest to me, I'd find myself in the dungeons, followed by having my head on the cutting board for everyone to see.
Magic seemed to only exist in me as I tried to cast it again. So far, only small pellets seem to pop out. It must have been too taxing for me as I was too tired to even crawl another inch.
Whatever this power I possess, it is no different than a kid wielding a gun that literally punctures through dozens of trees. I wondered if I could learn more types of magic despite knowing it was a bad idea.
I was too hungry to think about that. I tried to eat one of the plants I'd acquired from my trip. However, when I began to think back on how medical treatment is in this era, I immediately decided not to take the risk. For all I know, I could die shitting diarrhea. What a tombstone that would make.
Still, all wasn't too bad. The sky is still dark enough to sneak back into the village.
If only I could find that hay trail I left behind.
As I kept a mental fortitude to find hay, I unconsciously stumbled on what seemed to be a light source.
At first, I thought I managed to get back to the village without tracing my steps back to the road. But then I heard shouting.
"Found the boy! He's right here!"
These men looked like hunters with their quivers and bows. Some of whom carried spears.
"Oh shit! They found me!"
I turned back to run into the darkness until someone yanked the back of my shirt.
"Where do you think you're going, you little shit?! Who told you to run away from home?"
Oh no, it's that asshole from the forge.