The Homeseeker: An Elemental Adventurer LitRPG

Chapter 09 - Desert Travel

Zalan flailed and managed to strike the Roach's leg as it came down, throwing it off balance. The creature still managed to make glancing contact, and Zalan felt the appendages drag away skin, burning his face with unbearable pain. His eyes could only see the sickly orange eyes of the Roach as well as the antennae twitching with glee. Zalan punched powerfully into the abdomen of the creature, and it took a step back as it bore the pain, then stepped forward in order to get another bite.

Rep smashed down with a flaming fist, destroying the Roach with a frustrated grunt.

"Sorry, I did not mean for you to..." Rep started apologizing.

"Just help me up!" Zalan threw his hand up and was pulled to full height by Rep. Rep threw out a small wall of flame, sending the seven remaining Roaches skittering backward enough for Zalan to locate and retrieve his sword.

Zalan looked at the small monsters with a vengeful bloodlust and ran toward them, sword held high. He stomped hard on the first one, a satisfying crunch under his feet as he swept the legs of the other two closest with his blade, removing their legs and watching them recoil in pain. Zalan continued his rampage until he had killed every remaining Roach without any additional assistance from Rep. He breathed hard, kneeling down and trying to regain some energy after the battle.

"Well done," Rep said meekly.

Zalan didn't reply, only glanced up to Rep with an inscrutable look on his face.

"I apologize, Zalan. They are normally not much of a threat. I did not believe they would do you any injury," Rep said.

"How bad is it?" Zalan asked, gesturing to his forehead where the Roach gnawed on his face.

"It has drawn a small line of blood, but otherwise nothing that will be lasting," Rep assured him.

Zalan lightly touched his forehead in skepticism. It felt a lot worse than it was. It was a very thin line, something like a thick papercut.

"Like... If I sleep, this'll go away?" Zalan asked, hopeful.

"When you sleep in the guild," Rep nodded.

"In the guild? What about just sleeping out here?" Zalan looked around at the desert, the sun still high overhead.

"You cannot. Physically, I mean. Healing Rest does not work in wildlands. If the body is outside a safe area, you will not be able to restore yourself with the Healing Rest."

"But it only takes three minutes!" Zalan protested.

"Only when you are in a place of safety can you fall asleep so quickly and remain asleep for such a short period of time. Try, if you must, but you will not be able to restore yourself with rest out here," Rep said apologetically.

Zalan scoffed and took a few steps away from the slain Roaches in order to lay down on soft, clean sand. As soon as he lay down, he knew Rep was right. He felt it inside him that the restful sleep he experienced yesterday was nowhere to be found out here. He sat up and looked at Rep who nodded solemnly.

"This might have been good to know before we came outside the walls," Zalan groaned, standing and wiping his forehead. He looked at his arm and assessed the small red streak of blood as not a serious concern.

"I thought it would be obvious," Rep shrugged.

"What part of any of this would have been obvious?" Zalan balked.

"You forget, I do not know the inner workings of your world. Safe sleeping is taught to us as children, long before I studied Artifacts and combat in the guild. I thought everyone would know this," Rep suggested.