"We have to kill a World Eater." Karl's voice seemed to echo in all their ears, with each of them thinking how that would even be realistically possible.
They were all Unmarked and were only able to kill a Dreadform with one important facet, luck. So, killing a World Eater would be an even bigger task than what they had just done would ever be.
"I only know of one person who killed a World Eater," Deborah said, the others turned to her. She shifted her body a little to get more comfortable and then continued:
"My grandmother killed one during the Second Imposition ."
The Second Imposition, an event that happens two years after one had awakened from their First imposition. Rankers were given scenarios based on their abilities by the time the Second came about.
Lucas sighed.
'I'd probably get something easy if I did my Second Imposition.' Lucas's eyes widened and then he tapped himself on the head.
This wasn't right, he hadn't finished tackling the problem of his First Imposition; he was already thinking about the second one.
Lucas decided to check what his system interface looked like:
Name: Lucas
Title: –
Rank: Unmarked
Ruin Attributes: –
Artifacts: [Ravens Wings]
Faculty: [Cowardice]
Faculty Description: [You will always have the thought of running away and the more you do, the more the world bends to let you escape
Lucas nodded for a little bit and then smiled.
"What are you smiling about?" David asked, crouching over his shoulder.
"Oh nothing, just ecstatic about my kill." Lucas replied.
David nodded and then sat down beside him.
"Thank you." David said to him, his face having that look of determination on it. Lucas turned to him with eyes widened with surprise.
"What for?" Lucas asked.
"For telling Karl to spare me, I thought you'd let me die." He replied.
"Oh! That was nothing." Lucas said, swinging his head from side to side.
He understood part of what needed to be done, he knew what day the calamity was because that was the day the Orphanage got destroyed and judging by the scenery, the calamity happened the very next day.
He had to prepare himself, he looked at the others around him. Deborah had fallen asleep, David was busy sketching something on the ground, Karl's eyes were wide open, staring intently at the fire.
Lucas had one thought and one thought only, to use them to achieve his goal of surviving this cursed trial.
Lucas got up and moved to the edge of the mountain, he sat there, staring at the moon, his mind drifting back to that fateful day, a day he would like to forget but was already deeply engraved within him.
He threw the painful memories out of his mind, he got up and then walked into the woods, to the spot where he had picked the twigs he used for the fire from.
The shadow of the trees loomed over him, the entire environment serene, dark and dreary. Lucas steeled himself for any mishap, as he walked through. He heard water rushing and then immediately ran toward it.
He arrived at a flowing stream, its water extremely clear, with no sign of dirt within it.
'I've been so thirsty since I ate that monster meat.' He thought as he lapped up water from the stream like a dog.
The water flowed down his throat and into his stomach, he felt the chill from it pass through him. Then he felt pensive and alarmed, he immediately dodged to the side and just in time as something dropped like a bomb in that position. He looked at where he had been and saw a Cursed Creature that was just as big as a Turkey.
Lucas almost burst out laughing but then remembered that no Cursed Creature was weak, the weakest of them was an Aberrant which this one most likely was.
Although Aberrants were the weakest rank a Cursed Creature could get they were still stronger than Unmarked humans within the Imposition.
He stood straight up and got a good look at his attacker, it really did look like a Turkey but it had razor sharp fangs in its mouth which would most definitely tear his skin off if he let it touch him even a little.
It jumped at him, but then his Faculty kicked in again. Turkey's attack narrowly missed its mark, it attacked again, this time even more fiercely but it was of no use, the world had decided that Lucas would not be hit.
He had a whole lot of emotions welling up inside him, anxiety, fear, and most of all he somehow felt joy.
The most prominent emotion he was currently feeling was that of joy. Joy that he had been given a faculty that would basically let him evade any and all things without even trying, but the problem was, he wouldn't be able to kill anything at all.
No matter how hard he dodged, it wouldn't matter if he had no way to kill his opponents, he had to learn some skill or gain a better physical stat. As he moved about, the creature always missing by a hairs breath, he remembered something else. The Writ would give him a new Faculty when the Imposition ends based on his performance and his choices.
This was common knowledge passed down by those who were the first ever to conquer the First imposition.
Lucas sighed, he knew he needed help and fast. At that moment he heard a snap, the monstrous bird immediately set ablaze, with no smoke emanating from it. Lucas knew what caused this. The flames that devour the soul, Karl. He looked around and saw Karl standing behind him.
"I'm not the only one here." Karl nodded in the direction of the Aberrant, when Lucas turned around he saw David leap from above the longsword in his hands, he stabbed the creature through the back, the long blade coming out the creature's chest. It dropped to the floor, dead.
Lucas sat down on the ground, his chest heaving.
"Why are you guys here?" Lucas asked.
"To help you." David replied, his voice being sweet and sour at the same time.
"He wanted to go alone but I wouldn't allow it." Karl replied, his thick and luscious voice filling the air.
"It doesn't matter now, it's dead." Lucas said, waving his hand to both of them.
The other two went down to the stream as well, they both drank to their fill.
"Are you guys sure it's fine to leave Deborah out in the open like that?" Lucas asked both of them.
"Well, she can defend herself and we're not far from where she is so there's nothing to worry about." Karl replied.
Lucas nodded and then all three made their way back to their camp, Deborah was awake now, seated, staring at the fire.
"Everyone get some rest." Karl said as they all sat down. "Since Debbie is awake she can keep first watch."
Deborah frowned. "Never call me that again."
She got up and walked out but then she called back:
"Feel free to fall asleep, I'll keep watch."
Lucas laid down, still staring at the moon. He had to prepare himself mentally for what was to come because tomorrow, they face Calamity.