The pale morning light revealed the full extent of the village's devastation in a way the previous night's gloom had only hinted at. Corbin, now acutely aware of the dryness in his mouth and the gnawing in his stomach, knew his first priorities were the most basic for his new body's survival.
"Alpha, Gamma, maintain watch while I look for something to carry items," he commanded.
Rummaging through the inn's rubble, he found a thick burlap sack, slightly scorched but intact enough. Not ideal, but it would serve. "I need an [Inventory] skill soon," he thought, improvising by tying the sack to his waist.
His gaze fell upon the [Small Wooden Chest (Locked)] resting in the corner of the storeroom. He briefly considered his options for opening it, but without tools or a relevant skill, it remained a challenge for another time. Basic survival—water and food—came first.
His immediate necessity was water. He remembered the well in the small square. "Gamma, use your scent. Look for potable water. Alpha, cover it," he instructed. The canine skeleton began to sniff the ground, moving with surprising efficiency, while Alpha followed, its skull swiveling attentively. Gamma stopped by the well Corbin had noticed the previous day.
[Analyze.] [Old Stone Well] [Condition: Structurally sound. Water: Present. Water Quality (Superficial Analysis): Potable, but with a slight earthy taste.]
Corbin found a scorched wooden bucket and a worn but functional rope near the well. With some effort, he managed to draw fresh water. He drank deeply, the sensation of the cold water an indescribable relief. He filled a cracked waterskin he found, a precarious supply.
Food was the next challenge. He ordered his servants to search the less destroyed houses. After nearly an hour of cautious searching, they found, in a relatively intact pantry of a house slightly removed from the center of the carnage, some dark, hard loaves of bread, and a piece of dried cheese.
[Analyze.] [Rustic Bread (Whole)] [Condition: Dried, but edible. Nutrition: Low.] [Cured Cheese (Unknown Type)] [Condition: Dried, moldy edges (removable). Nutrition: Moderate.]
"Better than nothing," Corbin thought, stowing the food in his burlap sack. As he rummaged through the belongings in that house, looking for something more useful, his fingers touched cold metal under a torn blanket. A sword.
[Analyze.] [Short Sword (Militia)] [Type: Simple Blade. Damage: 5-9 (Slashing/Piercing). Durability: Medium. Condition: Slightly Rusted, but Sharpenable.] [Note: Standard weapon for militiamen or novice adventurers.]
Corbin wielded the sword. It was heavier than he expected, but the balance wasn't bad. A cold smile touched his lips. A real weapon. His [Simple Weapon Mastery] skill was still locked in the [Skills] tab, but having the weapon was the first step.
With water, a little food, and now a weapon, he felt slightly more prepared to face the world. He decided to investigate the tracks of the "Large Humanoids" he had found in the square the previous day, before time erased them.
Following the trail that led northwest out of the village, with Gamma sniffing ahead and Alpha covering the rear, Corbin advanced along the edge of the forest. The footprints were large and deep, clearly not goblin-made. After a few minutes following the trail, [Skeletal Servant Gamma], with its [Keen Scent (Carrion)], stopped and began to dig in a tangle of bushes near where one of the footprints was more deeply impressed.
It unearthed a small piece of fabric, a dark gray color and unusual texture, which belonged neither to the rustic clothes of the villagers nor the raw leather of the goblins.
[Analyze.] [Fabric Fragment (Unknown)] [Material: Unknown fiber, fine and resistant weave. Condition: Torn, mud-stained. Note: No significant odor or residual energy detectable by [Analyze (Level 1)].]
"Interesting," Corbin thought, putting the fragment in his sack. Another piece of the puzzle.
They continued along the trail for a few more minutes when an angry snarl erupted from a thicket ahead. A [Small Wild Boar (Level 1)] burst out, its red eyes fixed on Corbin, its tusks caked with dirt.
[Analyze.]
[Small Wild Boar (Level 1)Type: Animal (Hostile).]
[HP: 20/20] [Main Attributes: STR:8, AGI:6, VIG:9.]
[Abilities: Ferocious Charge, Thick Hide.]
[Estimated XP: 10]
"Less [XP] than the hound, and [Level 1]. A good test for the troops and for the new [XP] rule I suspect," Corbin thought. 'Alpha, Gamma, contain it! Don't kill, just incapacitate!' he commanded.
The two skeletons advanced. The boar charged Gamma, the canine skeleton, which skillfully dodged with its [AGI: 10] and bit the boar's leg. Alpha, now [Level 2] and more tactical, circled and began to strike the animal's flanks with its bone claws. The fight was quick. The boar, though strong ([STR: 8], [VIG: 9]), was no match for two opponents who felt no pain. Soon, it was down, whimpering weakly, with [HP: 3/20].
'Stop!' Corbin ordered. The skeletons retreated. He approached, the newly acquired short sword in hand. The animal stared at him with eyes full of pain and fury. Corbin felt nothing but a cold necessity. He raised the sword.
[Enemy Defeated: Small Wild Boar (Level 1)!][You (participation in final blow) gained 9 XP!]
[Skeletal Servant Alpha (damage participation) gained 0.5 XP!]
[Skeletal Servant Gamma (damage participation) gained 0.5 XP!] [Current XP: 12/100 (to Level 1)]
"So that's how it is," Corbin thought, observing the notifications. "If I participate actively, especially in the final blow, most of the experience is mine. The servants share a small portion. Logical. It encourages the master not to be just a spectator."
[System: Soul Echo Harvest attempt in progress... Success!] [Skill Echo Acquired: Ferocious Charge (Rudimentary) (Common). Cost to imbue in servant: 6 MP. Servant's CP cost increased by +0 while active.]
Another echo. This one could be useful. He looked at the boar's corpse. Food. He still had no way to cook, but survival meant not wasting resources. His servants could carry the carcass.
The sun was beginning to climb higher in the Jusgard sky. Corbin had water, a little food, a sword, two servants (one of them [Level 2]), two skill echoes in his [Collected Echoes], a mysterious diary, a locked chest, and the trail of unknown humanoids before him, now marked by a strange fragment of fabric. The village had not yet revealed all its secrets.