I jolted awake, the fire reduced to glowing embers. Small red rocks and burnt wood fixed my vision into a trance. The chill of morning nipped at my skin, and Nara, who was once there, was now nowhere to be seen.

  Groaning, I sat up, my head pounding as flashes of the clown’s words beeped in my mind like an electric clock. Nearby, Jakob swung his axe at a thin tree, sweat glistening on his brow. Each strike thudded through the quiet forest, emphasized by the rhythmic crack of splintering wood and his loud breaths.

  “Ezekiel! You’re finally up!” Jakob called, his voice filled with relief. “Man, you were squirming all night. I was starting to think you’d caught a fever or something.”

  With one last swing, the tree toppled with a heavy thud. Jakob stuck the axe into the trunk and wiped his hands on his soaked white shirt before jogging over. He extended a hand to me, grinning.

  “Come on, let me help you up. You’re going to want to hear this—I unlocked my skill when I woke up! Check this out.”

  He tugged down the collar of his shirt, revealing a thin, bone-shaped tattoo just above his collarbone. A curling flame wrapped around the number one etched into the design.

  “You must have one too, Zeke, show me your tattoo!”

  “You’ve seen mine. It’s on my hand. I find it strange you have a flame on yours, but I don’t have anything like that. But um you got a skill too?” I asked still groggy, his enthusiasm was contagious and slowly waking me up.

  “Yeah, man! It’s a basic one, but it’s so cool! Watch this.”

  Jakob raised a hand, his face scrunching with concentration. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the air shimmered faintly, warping like heat waves over asphalt. A burst of warmth spread out, making the embers at the fire’s edge glow brighter.

  “Holy shit,” I said, blinking. “You can summon heat waves? Congratulations, you’re officially a microwave. I thought we’d never get back to modernity out here, but here you are!”

  Jakob’s face stonewalled, his grin stopped for a moment until he said something in retort. “Yeah, well, I’ll take microwave over walking encyclopedia. ‘Hey Ezekiel, analyze that rock over there! Oh, what’s that sand made of? Wait, what kind of bird is that?!’” He pulled his eye back with his middle finger and stuck out his tongue, and I felt my cheeks flush as I rubbed the back of my neck in embarrassment

  “Fair point,” I muttered.

  Jakob turned away, grinning, and yanked his axe free from the fallen trunk effortlessly. The weapon gleamed unnaturally, its golden glow catching the dim light of daybreak. Silver veins pulsed along its edge, alive with some bright energy.

  —Mission Complete—

  —Teach 5/5 people how to use the system. You have gained 1 of 3 Skills—

  —Choose a Skill: Night Vision, Paralyzing Glare, or Bird’s Eye View—

  “Apparently, I’ve got axe and short-spear proficiency,” Jakob said, turning the weapon over in his hands. “Never touched either before, but man, this feels like second nature now. It’s unreal.” He spun the axe once, testing its balance, before resting it against his shoulder with a satisfied smirk.

  I nodded, trying to focus. A skill selection screen hovered in my mind, but my thoughts kept drifting. Jakob’s excitement was infectious, but compared to his new abilities, mine felt… underwhelming. A crimson orb and a healing spell. Meanwhile, he had a glowing weapon that looked straight out of legend.

  “Jakob, I got an option for another skill,” I admitted. “And I wanted to tell you since you’re the reason I got it. Remember when you said you were going to teach everyone how to develop their abilities? Well, I had a mission related to that, and this is my reward.”

  “Yeah?” His eyes lit up. “What are you gonna pick? I’m so ready to become a superhero, dude.”

  While he spoke, I scrolled through my options in my mind, considering each one carefully:

  —Skill: Night Vision—

  —Grants permanent enhanced vision in darkness. Does not require mana—

  —Skill: Paralyzing Glare—

  —Allows the wielder to temporarily freeze a single target in place. Only works while standing still. Blinking or losing concentration will break the effect—

  —Skill: Bird’s Eye View—

  —Allows the user to view the world from an omniscient aerial perspective. Only vision is active in this mode. Requires mana. Leaves the user vulnerable while in use—

  Before I could stew on my decision for long, a distant scream tore through the air.

  The noise jolted me. No more time to think—I had to pick now. I selected the simplest skill with the least drawbacks.

  —Night Vision Acquired—

  Jakob stiffened, gripping his axe tightly. His face hardened as his gaze locked onto mine. “Did you hear that?”

  I nodded, already pushing to my feet. The cry came again, weaker this time, the desperation in it sending a chill through me.

  “Let’s move,” I said, intensely.

  We ran toward the commotion and stopped dead at the sight before us. Kei was lying beneath the shade of a tree, his leg grotesquely swollen and blue. The crude bandage wrapped around his thigh had grown tight and soaked through with blood. What had once been a bright red wound was now black and purple, crusted with dried blood and pus, caked on by dirt.

  “Nara, what’s wrong with him?” Jakob asked, rushing toward her.

  She was kneeling beside Kei, her face tense. “His leg. We have to amputate it. The infection’s spread too far. Ezekiel, hand me your blade!”

  I fumbled with my dagger and passed it to her without delay. She cut away the makeshift bandage, revealing the full extent of the damage. The sight was disturbing—dark blue veins snaked up Kei’s thigh, heading toward his pelvis. His skin was blackened, the flesh hot to the touch and oozing a pink white pus.

  “Kei,” Nara said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I need to see the wound more clearly. This is going to hurt, but I need you to stay still, okay? Last thing I want is to hurt family.”

  Kei groaned faintly, his head rolling to the side. He didn’t respond.

  Nara sliced up the leg of his jeans, exposing the infected area to the air. The smell was awful. It was a think musky smell that burned my nose. I had to fight the urge to gag.

  “It’s worse than I thought,” Nara muttered. “The infection’s spreading. We need to stop it before it reaches his heart. But this dagger isn’t enough to cut through bone. I mean I could stab at it but that would only be worse.”

  “I—I think I can help,” Jakob said, stepping forward. He pulled his axe out of his inventory, gripping it tightly. “W-will this work?”

  Nara took a deep breath, looking at the weapon. “It’s not ideal, but it’ll have to do. I’ll guide you through it. Ezekiel, get me those large leaves from the pile. We’ll need them to keep dirt out of the wound. And to wrap it.

  I ran to grab the leaves, my head beading with a nervous sweat as I returned and handed them over. Nara placed the leaves under Kei’s leg, creating a makeshift barrier from the ground below.

  “Jakob, listen carefully,” she said, looking him in the eyes. “You need to cut just above the infection, below on the knee joint. One clean swing. No hesitation. If you pull back or falter, you’ll cause him more pain than necessary. Do you understand? Blood loss can kill him especially since we have no way to transplant more blood to him.”

  Jakob nodded, though his face was pale, his hands trembling around the axe handle looking at the man. Sweat flushed Kei’s face and he was just as pale as the white sand on the ground below.

  “I-I can’t…” he stammered.

  “What do you mean you can’t?” Nara snapped, her eyes wide and frantic. “Are you going to make me do it? I don't have the physical strength for this Jakob?” Nara was a frail tall woman, she wasn’t weak, but I could tell she didn’t get much exposure to the outside world.

  “I’ve never done anything like this before!” Jakob said fast and worrisome. Both his voice grip loosened, nearly dropping the axe.

  Time dragged on in the silent woods. I looked at Jakob angrily. He was supposed to be strong for us and this is what he does? Do I have to do everything? As Kei labored with each of his breaths I closed my eyes and bit down. Didn’t he just tell me I didn’t have to do it alone and now he’s fumbling because he’s worried? What the fuck man.

  I clenched my fists, I was tired of this already . I was angry and tired. “Give me the axe,” I said suddenly, grabbing the handle, yanking it away from him.

  Jakob turned to me, with his big puppy dog eyes. “Ezekiel—”

  “Just give it to me!” I snapped, snatching the weapon from his hands. My fingers tightened around the handle as I stepped toward Kei.

  “Ezekiel,” Nara said, looking at me sadly. “Are you sure about this? Can you handle it?”

  I swallowed hard, trying to keep my hands steady. “No. But I don’t have a choice do I? Kei get ready.”

  She nodded and grimaced. “Alright. Just above the infection, one clean swing. Don’t hesitate or you could make it worse. Ok?”

  I adjusted my grip on the axe, sweat dripping down my forehead. I was about to do something I haven't ever even thought about in my old life. The anxiety and heat was coursing up my neck like a gasoline fire to the face. I had to push that feeling aside. Kei’s life depended on this and I had to get ready for it.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Kei groaned faintly, his eyes fluttering open for a brief moment. His lips moved, barely forming anything audible: “D-don’t… mess it up.”

  “I won’t,” I said flat faced and direct, looking at the man.

  I raised the axe, my arms straining as I lined up the strike like a golfer lines up his swing. Taking a deep breath, I pulled it back over my head and swung down with all my strength.

  The sound was sickening—a wet, crunching thud as the blade snapped through flesh and bone. Blood sprayed across the ground, some of it splattering my face. Kei screamed, a sound so painful it made my heart stop.

  “Again!” Nara said low, and then repeated with a loud yell.

  I didn’t hesitate. I swung again, harder this time, and the axe cleaved cleanly through. The severed leg dropped to the ground with a sickening thump as Kei’s scream cut off. His head lolled forward full of sweat. He was unconscious.

  “Ezekiel, over here!” Nara yelled, her hands already pressing down on the bleeding stump.

  I dropped the axe and rushed to help, grabbing the largest leaves and pressing them over the wound to stem the bleeding. Nara worked quickly, tying a strip of cloth around Kei’s thigh to act as a tourniquet. The blood was slowing, but the ground beneath us was already soaked.

  I glanced over my shoulder and saw Jakob sitting a few feet away, his face buried in his hands. Anger hit me for a brief second until I shook the feeling away.

  I looked at my arms. They were covered in blood. A darker coagulated mess that must’ve already been dead from the swelling. A memory hit me all at once with the force of a freight train. I stood there looking at Jakob like I was looking at my younger self. The blood the fear and the cowering. My expression softened looking at him

  Nara leaned back, her hands covered in a blackish red liquid. “We’ll need to keep an eye on him,” she said, nodding toward Kei. “If the infection’s already in his bloodstream, this might not be enough.”

  I looked down at my trembling hands, now smeared with blood, and tried to push the rising nausea back down. Jakob sat a few feet away, silent, his shoulders hunched as he stared at the ground.

  I didn’t feel anything, I just felt sick.

  “Nara,” I said, my voice cracking. “I have a healing skill… but it reflects some of the damage back to me. Do you think it’ll help here? Or is it not worth the risk? I really don’t want to lose the leg.

  She paused, wiping sweat from her brow with a blood-streaked hand. “That depends. Will it regrow the limb, or will it only close the wound? And what will it do to you, Ezekiel?” Her narrow glare met my eyes. “There are a lot it’s and’s or but’s. I personally don’t want this to go wrong, but it could. This will affect you Ezekiel and all of us in the long run. Personally, I’d advise against it. But it’s your choice. Kei won’t complain, no matter the outcome. Her just be glad he isn’t dead.

  I nodded slowly. It wasn’t much to go on, but I couldn’t leave him like this. If there was even a chance, I had to try. “Alright,” I said, steadying myself. “Stand back. I don’t know how this works—it could do… well, anything.”

  Nara and Jakob exchanged uncertain looks but stepped away. I exhaled a shaky breath, trying to focus.

  How does this work? My thoughts raced. In movies, they always extend their hands and call out the move’s name like it’s second nature. Maybe that would work?

  I shut my eyes, and in the black void of my mind, a single blue droplet fell, hitting the still surface. Ripples spread outward, radiating through my body.

  I opened my eyes, and let out a high pitch yell. “HEAL.”

  A crimson swirl exploded around me, spiraling like a bloody vortex. My body tensed as the energy coursed through me, ripping toward my leg. The burning sensation hit like a knife searing into my flesh. I barely managed to stay upright as white-hot pain flared, tearing through the muscles just above my knee.

  I winced hard, gritting my teeth as my strength faltered. It felt like someone had taken a blade to my leg, splitting it open from the inside. I stumbled back, nearly collapsing, but Jakob caught me just before I hit the ground.

  “Ezekiel!” Nara shouted, rushing toward me.

  A thick line traced in a 360 angle around my leg. If it was any deeper I would have been worried the skin may fall down like a loose sock. Blood poured from my wound, dripping to the ground before evaporating into a misty red haze. The mist swirled away from me and toward Kei’s leg, wrapping around it in a slow blood sport, a dance of red.

  I watched through the haze of pain as the torn flesh on Kei’s stump began to stitch itself back together. The infection’s blackened veins faded, the gaping wound closing until it was smooth, unbroken skin. The leg itself didn’t regrow, the color grew back in a lighter shade, but the damage was undone.

  I slumped against Jakob, my vision spiraling and vertigo setting in. My leg throbbed violently, the burning sensation growing worse. It felt as though the poison from Kei’s wound had passed into me. Maybe it did. Maybe it was just the cut.

  Nara crouched beside me, her hands moving quickly to inspect my wound. “You’re bleeding heavily,” she muttered, tearing a strip of cloth from her bag. Without hesitation, she ran to a nearby tree, yanked a broad leaf from a low-hanging branch, and crafted a makeshift tourniquet—just like she had for him.

  She tied it around my leg, pulling it tight. The pressure sent a fresh wave of pain lancing through me, but the bleeding slowed.

  “It worked,” she murmured. “Now you just need to let it heal.”

  Kei lay still but breathing steadily now. His face had relaxed, the pain no longer twisting his features. Color was returning to his cheeks—the rosy-gold hue that had faded when the sting took hold.

  I exhaled and let my head drop back against the dirt. The world swayed around me, my body heavy with exhaustion.

  “It worked,” I spoke weakly. My voice was barely more than a breath. “I just… need a minute.”

  Nara sat beside me, watching both me and Kei carefully. Jakob crouched nearby, the axe still clutched in his hands. The sadness in his face had twisted into something bitter, his forced smile barely masking it.

  I closed my eyes and let the jungle sounds wash over me. The distant hoots and howls of monkeys. The rhythmic chirping of two-headed birds as they pecked at the sand, hunting for long, writhing worms. The damp earth beneath me. The steady pulse of pain in my leg.

  It hurt. But for a friend, I would endure it.

  I breathed deeply, my body sinking into the ground.

  For now, I would rest.

  “Well, after that little act…” I began, trying to shake off the feeling that began to stir. “Yeah. Uh. Yeah, so… we need to go get supplies, right?”

  I winced as I tried to push myself off the ground, my leg burning with every inch I gave.

  “You’re not going anywhere with a wound like that,” Nara snapped. “You can barely stand, let alone walk through a desert wasteland or the forest. Take a break, Ezekiel. Seriously. It’s been two days—you can’t carry the whole world on your back. Your not atlas.

  But I could. I knew I could. Maybe not the whole world but the people here at least. I was on a role and needed to get as much done as I could before I crashed from exhaustion and negativity. The blood was already bringing me back to before and I knew it wouldn’t last. So better to do what I can before I can not.

  Jakob crouched beside me and grabbed my hand. “Let’s call a meeting. We need to assign tasks and figure out our next steps.”

  “Fine,” I muttered, letting him pull me to my feet.

  “I’ll grab Calvin and the others. You sit by the campfire and draw up a plan, okay?” Jakob said, giving me a firm pat on the shoulder.

  “That’s what I was going to do anyway,” I replied, dragging my wounded leg through the dirt as I made my way to the burnt-out campfire. The old log we’d been using as a bench creaked under my weight as I sat down.

  Nara helped Kei settle into a shaded corner of the camp before joining me. Donnie and Jerissa followed shortly after, the three of them taking seats around the campfire.

  “Yeesh, what happened to you, Zeke?” Donnie said with a lighthearted smile. “Looks like someone tried to hack your leg off. You’re covered in blood dude.”

  I gagged, fighting back a wave of nausea. “Donnie, please shut up,” I said, glaring at him. “I know you just want to make me feel better but too soon alright?”

  He raised his hands in a mock surrender, his smile vanishing.

  “Are you okay, Ezekiel?” Jerissa asked softly. Her tone was gentle, her concern genuine. “What happened? You didn’t look like this last night.”

  I nodded stiffly, unable to meet her gaze. “I’d prefer not to talk about it. We’ll get into everything once the others arrive.”

  Before she could respond, a large man in military fatigues strolled up, his presence commanding everyone’s attention, and not because he earned it. “Speaking of which, the most prominent man is here,” he said scratching his chin with a smug grin.

  Jerissa rolled her eyes. “Hello, Calvin,” she said flatly, trying to give some semblance of authenticity.

  Jakob arrived moments later, leading a small group of familiar and unfamiliar faces. Among them were Odin, Castria, and three strangers whose wary expressions gave away their unease.

  “Is this everyone?” I asked, my voice carrying just enough authority to quiet the small murmurs spreading through the group. I leaned forward on the log putting all my weight in my good leg.

  “If by everyone you mean ‘the only people that matter then yeah, I think we’re good.” He pointed to himself and raised his head up a bit.

  I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose aggravated. “Alright. Let’s get started.”

  I stepped forward, addressing the group.

  “We all know the situation. We’re lost, resources are running thin, and people are hungry. Hell, I’m starving right now myself. But sitting around complaining won’t solve anything. We need to start scavenging for food and water. We need shelter to keep us safe from the animals and beasts we’ve already seen—like those scorpions—and whatever else is out there.

  “That means we need hunters and trappers for food. Builders for huts, traps, and tools. If anyone has skills, speak up now, or I’ll start assigning tasks myself.”

  A muscular man swaggered forward, smiling as he flexed for effect. “Yeah, I’ve got something to say. Me and my crew? We’re hunters. We’ll handle food. Building isn’t our thing. We’re destroyers, not makers.” Calvin said this matter of factly.

  “Fair enough,” I said. “But I’d prefer if you also taught others how to fight. You’ve got experience, and we’re going to need everyone ready for combat.”

  “Yeah, no. Teaching’s not my style.” Calvin joined in speaking for every one of his men.

  I narrowed my eyes, his attitude already grating. “Suit yourself,” I said coolly, “but I expect you to pull your weight. Anyone else?”

  A man stepped forward, his backward baseball cap revealing a scruffy shadow of stubble. He couldn’t have been older than 30. “Name’s Dean,” he said calm but confident. “I’m a carpenter. I can handle the building.”

  Two women flanked him. The blonde spoke first, her accent light. “I’m Salvia. Grew up on a farm, raising animals and growing crops. I can start planting once we’ve got the tools.”

  “And I’m Clarissa,” the other woman added. “I’m no farmer, but I can handle repairs and furnishings. Minor fixes, that kind of thing.”

  “Perfect,” I said, nodding. “We’ll need builders. Dean, you’re in charge of construction. Salvia, once we’ve gathered supplies, you can focus on gardening and farming. Clarissa, you’ll assist wherever it’s needed.

  “Odin, Jerissa,” I continued, turning to them, “you’ll move between groups, checking on progress and relaying what’s needed back to me.”

  “Got it, Zeke,” Odin said leaning forward, slipping his hands into his pockets with a nod. He sat up and stood up leaving the fire.

  “That leaves me and Nara to handle the wounded. Jakob and I will also start training people on fighting and magic. Everyone needs to know how to defend themselves.”

  I paused, letting my words sink in. “Now, about leadership. I’m appointing a council to keep things organized. It’ll be me, Dean, Calvin, Jakob, Jerissa, and Nara. Any complaints?”

  “The hell is he doing on the council?” Calvin barked, glaring at Dean. “I haven’t seen him a day before in my life. Huh? Well who is he?”

  “Because,” I said, dragging out the word for emphasis, “he’s the only carpenter here. If we want shelter, he needs the authority to make it happen. Plus he should have the authority to guide himself around here.”

  Calvin huffed but said nothing more.

  “Alright,” I said, clapping my hands. “Everyone knows their duties. Start bringing people here. Gather all belongings into a pile so we can distribute supplies where they’re most needed. Let’s move.”

  It took nearly thirty minutes to gather everyone, a process slowed by confusion and exhaustion. Some still whispered among themselves, dazed by our situation, while others clutched makeshift weapons as if expecting an ambush at any moment. But we didn’t have time to waste. Once the last person straggled in, I stepped forward, scanning their faces—some hardened with resolve, others barely holding back fear.

  Sorting through our supplies had been a mess. We had food, but not enough. Weapons, but no real training. If we were going to survive, we needed structure.

  I cleared my throat. “Alright, listen up.”

  Silence settled over the group, tension thick in the air.

  “Dean, take ten men and focus on gathering wood and materials. We need shelters, barricades—anything to give us some kind of foundation.”

  Dean nodded, already eyeing the surrounding forest.

  “Calvin,” I continued, “pick five or six for a hunting party. We’re running on limited rations, and we don’t know how long we’ll be stuck here. Find food, track whatever moves, and learn the land as best you can.”

  He gave a short nod, exchanging glances with a few men he trusted.

  “That leaves the rest of us for defense and training,” I said, sweeping my gaze over the remaining group. “We need people who can fight, people who can teach others to fight, and people who can figure out how to use whatever weapons we’ve got.”

  I spent the rest of the day drilling them—teaching people how to retrieve weapons from their inventories, organizing tools, running basic combat exercises. Some picked it up fast. Others fumbled, frustrated by the unnatural mechanics of it all.

  It wasn’t glamorous work. It wasn’t heroic.

  But it was a start. And right now, that’s all we had.