In the middle of a forest, a hooded figure ran through the trees, his steps stomping on the ground with a rhythmic pace. Behind him, a group of beasts gave pursuit. The beasts, numbering four, looked like squirrels about three foots in size. They had orange-red fur with three white stripes lining their backs. They loudly squeaked and hissed as they chased.
The pursuit continued for a while until the hooded figure suddenly stopped in the middle of an opening beside a small cliff wall protruding upward. His chest rose and fell as he caught his breath, but it wasn't long until he was caught and surrounded by the squirrel-beasts.
The creatures began slowly creeping in as they got ready to pounce on their target.
Surrounded and with his back against the wall, the hooded man's situation seemed dire. Yet he didn't show any signs of panic. Instead, as the beasts kept creeping closer, the man suddenly shouted "NOW!"
Not a second later, the treeline behind the squirrels erupted with a loud humming sound. In the next instant, a monstrous figure jumped out and came crashing into one of the squirrels, sending dust flying as it killed the creature instantly.
The remaining squirrels were stunned by the sudden attack from behind. But before they could react, the sound of rattling chains and the quick whistle of a fast-moving object announced the second strike - this time from the man up front, who swiftly struck with a flail at another beast, causing a deep wound on its neck.
The beast screeched in agony as it bled heavily.
With two members down and now surrounded from both front and back, the two remaining squirrels finally reacted to the danger. They turned to face the beast that had come crashing earlier - their instincts clearly telling them it was the greatest threat right now.
The two squirrels charged, attacking their enemy together. As they leapt to deliver a bite and a scratch, the hooded man used his flail to bind one of the squirrels, pulling on its leg and causing its attack to falter as it fell back to the ground mid-leap.
The other squirrel's attack however managed to connect, delivering a bite to its opponent. But the enemy intercepted the attack with one of its limbs, blocking it. Despite the squirrel's best efforts, its enemy had proven to have a sturdy chitin covering its body, leaving the squirrel desperately biting down with all its strength, helplessly trying to inflict any harm.
However, its struggle didn't last long as it was soon met with a punch to its open side. You could hear the sound of ribs cracking as the poor beast was sent flying to the side until it slammed into a tree and fell to the ground motionless.
The last squirrel, still chained, having watched the rest of its pack get eliminated one by one, launched into a panicked struggle as it lost all will to fight - escape was the only thing it could think of right now. Yet the chain wrapped around its leg prevented that. It tried to shake it off, to bite and scratch at it, but to no avail. The chain was wrapped too tightly around its leg to shake free, and too tough to break in time.
Seeing no other options, it turned its gaze to the man chaining it, its eyes filled with frenzied hatred. The beast then feverishly began swallowing pebbles and stones scattered around. Then it puffed its cheeks to a comical size, aimed its head at the man, and like a machine gun, spat what was in its mouth at high speed in rapid succession, turning the stones into bullet-like projectiles.
But instead of the sound of flesh being ripped to shreds, what resounded was a tough metallic clinking - like a plate of metal being rapidly pelted. The man was half-kneeling as he shielded himself behind his companion, who luckily was fast enough to intercept the attack and block it with its hard carapace.
The squirrel, noticing its attack failing, prepared to fire a second volley. But sadly for it, the monstrous companion wouldn't allow that to pass. With a rattle, it grabbed the chain of the flail and yanked it back, sending the squirrel flying towards them. The squirrel didn't even touch the ground again before the companion grabbed it by the neck in a choking hold - and then *CRACK*. The squirrel's rabid resistance came to an abrupt end as it dropped lifelessly to the ground.
With the last enemy defeated, the hooded man pulled back his hood with a relieved sigh, revealing himself as Courage. "Woowh, haha! Good job, buddy—that's another successful hunt under our belts!" His monstrous Kabuto companion remained stoic, antennae twitching in what might have been quiet acknowledgment, but Courage didn't dwell on it. "Well, guess that's enough for today," he said, retrieving a cloth sack from beneath his cloak.
He methodically collected the slain beasts, the sack growing heavy enough that he eventually hoisted it onto his companion's broad back. The Kabuto bore the weight effortlessly as they began their trek through the woods.
After an hour's walk, they arrived at an immense cliff face that vanished into the clouds above. Courage fished out a small bronze token from his pocket, giving it an idle wave. Several minutes passed before answering groans of machinery echoed from above, and a suspended metal platform descended along thick cables.
"After you," Courage offered. The Kabuto carefully boarded, balancing its precious cargo, before Courage followed. Another wave of the token set the platform ascending.
As they rose, wind whipping at his clothes, Courage tilted his head back. The view unfolding beneath him—an endless sea of trees stretching to the horizon, now bathed in the sun's dying light. The sky blazed with dusk's gentle palette, painting the wilderness in golds and purples as their lift carried them homeward.
This was the Blend. Dangerous, yes - but undeniably beautiful. At least, that's how Courage saw it. He spent his entire life trapped in the concrete maze of his home citadel. Everything he'd been told about the world beyond its walls painted a picture of nothing but ruins - a broken place filled with death lurking in every shadow. That's why the Blend's vast landscapes and natural wonders never failed to take his breath away. And why wouldn't they? Before coming here, Courage didn't even known the sky could contain so many colors. Back home, it was always the same - that dull, dusty gray stretching endlessly above the city's spires.
But the Blend's wilderness wasn't the only wonder in Courage's new life. As the lift slowed and pierced through the cloud layer, the full majesty of Grand Cliff Bastion - his new home - unfolded before him in a breathtaking reveal.
Massive crane systems lined the cliff's edge like metal sentinels, their purpose clear: transporting people and goods between the safety of the bastion and the wilds below. Beyond them sprawled a city carved into the very face of the cliff, some buildings dug directly into the rock. As darkness fell, countless lights flickered to life across the settlement, pushing back the night with their gentle glow.
From this height, Courage could see people bustling through winding streets and occasional flying beasts carrying residents between levels. True to its name, the bastion occupied an impregnable position atop a sheer cliff too high for most creatures to scale, backed by an impassable ring of mountains - giving this bastion an iron clad defence all around ,an indispensable boon in this mostly uncharted region of the blend.
The bastion itself was divided into three main sectors: the Docks at the outermost edges serving as the gateway to the wilds; the Stacks forming the residential heart with it's stone carved resides , it also houses taverns and other entertainment facilities built into the sloping cliff face; and lastly the Plato atop the flat summit housing all major facilities - forges, farms, markets, government buildings, and the ever crucial Warp Gate , this area always constantly alive with activity. As the lift finally docked, Courage exhaled, taking in the towering city of stone and light that would now be his proving ground, its vertical streets and cliffside dwellings a far cry from the flat, gray citadel of his birth home.
Courage stepped off the docked lift, signaling his Totem Beast to follow as he navigated through the bustling Stacks district. The streets glowed under flickering lantern light, alive with the cacophony of chatter, laughter, and occasional arguments spilling from taverns and homes. He absorbed the vibrant chaos as he walked, eventually reaching an open area resembling a train station. Boarding one of the cable carts, he rode the sloping track upward until reaching the Plato sector's station.
From there, he proceeded to an official building, approaching the front counter where a desk worker greeted him politely:
"Hello, how may I help you?"
"I'm here to submit a mission,"Courage replied.
"Identification, please."
Both pressed behind their ears—a gesture meaningless without context, but one that activated their implants to exchange data. After a brief pause, the worker nodded.
"Ah, Courage Petacos. You accepted the Striped Red Squirrel culling mission and have been active for nearly a month, correct?"
"Correct."
"Excellent. How many today?"
"Four."
The worker's eyebrows rose. "Four? Impressive. Most rookies bag one or two at most when hunting solo."
"well Had some help from this big fella," Courage said, thumbing toward his Kabuto companion.
"Keep this up, and you'll rank up quickly," the worker praised before resuming a professional tone. "Selling all four?"
"Everything except the hides. Deliver those to this address—I've commissioned forge work requiring them."
The worker processed the request, eyes twitching slightly as their implant calculated the totals.
"Base mission reward, plus bonuses for the squirrel carcasses, minus butchering and delivery fees… 250 credits. Acceptable?"
"Yes."
A chime sounded as the credits transferred via interface.
"Will that be all?"
"I'd like to withdraw from this mission."
"..... Done. Would you like to select another today?"
"Another time."
With the transaction complete, Courage deposited his haul in the designated area and exited, his Kabuto lumbering behind him.
The pair continued deeper into the Plato sector, weaving through the ever-bustling market district. Though night had fallen, the streets remained alive with activity - merchants calling out last deals, craftsmen packing up their stalls, This rhythm wouldn't quiet until well past midnight.
Courage entered a familiar shop with the ease of routine. The shopkeeper, a middle-aged man with laugh lines around his eyes, greeted him warmly:
"Oh hey there, kid! Welcome, welcome. Another successful hunt today, I assume?"
Courage returned the smile. "Hello, Mister Jafar. Yes, another success today as well."
"Haha! That's what I like to hear,"Jafar chuckled, rubbing his hands together. "So what can I get for you?"
Approaching the counter, Courage activated his implant, transferring his shopping list directly to Jafar's system. The shopkeeper's eyes flickered as he reviewed the items:
"Alright, let's see... Five kilograms of crimson ginger, three vials of body growth potion, a six-liter bottle of concentrated nectar, and..." His eyebrows rose. "The catalyst for the 'flurry Strike' ability? Moving up in the world, eh?"
As Jafar gathered the items, Courage leaned against the counter, making small talk about the market's latest gossip. Once everything was packed and paid for, he bid farewell and stepped back into the night, his Kabuto companion carefully balancing their purchases as they made their way home.
After a while, Courage stood at his doorstep, the dim glow of street lanterns casting long shadows behind him. With a creak of hinges, he pushed the door open and motioned his companion inside—always letting the Kabuto enter first, a habit formed from navigating narrow doorframes with a massive beetle.
"Tusk, we're home," he murmured, the words carrying the weight of their shared exhaustion.
The door clicked shut behind them, sealing out the last whispers of the bustling bastion. Inside, the quiet embrace of their modest dwelling welcomed them—shelves cluttered with hunting gear, a bench strewn with several notebooks , and a simple one person bed layed in a corner against the walls, and finally two small branching rooms housing a simple kitchen and a bathroom each
Courage exhaled, rolling his stiff shoulders. as he unpacked and changed into something more casual, then slumped into his bed announcing the end of his long day