Chapter 82: Tenacity

Chapter 82: Tenacity

The supply crate lay on its side, a faded and weatherworn symbol was painted onto its side though Leif couldn’t make out the details. He sunk clawed fingers into the wooden exterior and lifted the container, carrying it to where he was gathering all the leftover supplies he could find on the smaller bluff.

Most containers he found were damaged, destroyed, or had been left open prior to being left behind. Others had sprung leaks or, like the food crates he had thrown overboard, their contents hadn’t survived even if their protection had.

Leif reached out, and focused his concentration. He could pry these crates open with his physical strength without problem, but this was an opportunity to practise. The top of a crate, smaller than the rest and cube shaped, opened like a flower in bloom, the wooden exterior parting in smooth motions to reveal the contents inside.

The problem with opening a container in this way was that it ruined the wax like sealant that rendered the crate waterproof. He could close to box back up, simply reversing his prior manipulation of the wood, but the container's integrity would be irreversibly damaged.

Within were nine bottles of what Leif suspected was liquor. He popped a cork off one of the bottles and had a whiff. He almost gagged, hastily returning the cork around the mouth of the bottle. Alcohol, but not the drinking kind. Leif deduced, putting the crate to the side.

Another crate, opened in the same fashion, contained tools and supplies for the crafting of arrows. Another was tightly packed rows of preserved meats. A larger crate contained boots and under-shirts that Leif had seen some imperial soldiers wear while not in armour. The next crate, one he had found next to the one with boots, contained cloaks and pants.

He continued to sort through what he had collected. Nothing jumped out as immediately valuable, but what goods he could think of a use for he put to the side. That done, he moved to the most intact structure on the bluff.

It was a wooden building that had once been a workshop of some description. One of the walls and part of the ceiling had been obliterated by a stray gravity beam, but otherwise the structure was in good condition. Leif cleaned out the rubble and detritus, then deconstructed some of the nearby buildings and repurposed their lumber. It took him less than an hour to turn the workshop into a perfectly serviceable barn.

Once that was done, he spent time strengthening the individual planks of wood with his powers, sealing off holes and gaps in the walls and ceiling before finally moving the things he had a potential use for into the building. Just as he finished placing the final crate and that was taking in his handiwork, he received a system notification.

Congratulations! Your fusion of the [Grounded Stance II] and [Enduring Grit] skills is complete!

You have gained the [Brawler] skill [Tenacious Fighter]!

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The first thing Ram noticed as he fell towards the ruins of the human village was that the life-giving tree with ivory white bark and red leaves seemed to have grown since he had last used this place to rest and recover.

The second was a man shaped creature of similar colour looking up at him as he dropped. Ram snorted, and shifted the direction of his descent, his long white hair billowing out behind him like a mantle made out of clouds. As the ground below rose up to meet him Ram slowed his fall with a brief effort of will, his hands never leaving the pockets of the mismatched fur coat he wore.

His bare feet met the stone without a sound. He scanned the creature up and down with an assessing look, gaining a sense of its aura and strength. Clearly it was the tree’s guardian or something of the sort, but its strength was nothing to concern something of his power. Ram didn’t have an analysis skill, but he trusted his intuition gained from decades of battle more than any trickle of information the system might provide.

The plant monster lowered itself slightly, as if ready for a confrontation, though its posture was purely defensive. Ram let the silence hang as he glared into glowing golden eyes. “So.” He barked. “Finally awake hmm? Or have you been deliberately ignoring me the entire time?” Ram’s voice was like gravel being slowly grinded into dust, a low rumble like an advancing avalanche.

The monster's eyes flickered, as if blinking, and it stood up straighter. “I’m... sorry? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Its deep voice was surprisingly coherent for a plant creature, though it had a slight rasp, as if its body wasn’t made for speaking.

Ram’s eye twitched, and he felt electricity dance through his billowing mane of hair and sparked between the horns that protruded from his head. The plant creature’s attention flickered to the sparks of power briefly, before returning back to him. Ram let the silence hang once again, letting it stretch out for an uncomfortable duration. Something he had learnt during his long years of life was that it was far easier to communicate the less one talked.

Sure enough, the ivory monster shifted uncomfortably, then spoke. “I... assume you’ve been here before. I only just woke from a long slumber, so I don’t know who you are.”

Ram didn’t respond, letting the creature stew under his gaze. Truthfully he hadn’t been sure if it had been capable of speech, but he always welcomed pleasant surprises. Even the most powerful beings in the northern mountains were barely able to communicate beyond base growls or screeches. Finally, once the quiet would grant his response enough gravitas, Ram spoke. “I see.”

The wind blew, the red leaves of the tree rustled, a bird flying overhead let out a chirp. Then he walked past the monster made of bark and slumped to relax next to his old campsite. Ram let a spark of lightning zap the fire starting gem that still rested where he had left it, while at the same time commanding wind to bring him wood for kindling.

Within moments a merry little fire crackled away within the circle of stones. The confusion radiating off the plant creature was practically palpable, but that didn’t matter. After all, it wasn’t his job to explain himself. Ram had declared his intentions months ago, it wasn’t his fault if nobody had been around to hear him.