Stitches rests in Mateo’s room away from Terror and Serenity at Okami’s request. Mateo joins Okami in the early morning to discuss the rune tablet with him.


    “Press the purple rune and you can send me a message in text,” Okami says excitedly.


    Mateo taps the rune, and a keyboard opens up in his peripheral.


    “It also has storage, not as much as an item of holding, but-,” Okami accidentally presses a green rune and an image of a naked ruby skinned woman with midnight hair projects above his rune tablet. He struggles to get it to disappear.


    “Was that the waitress from the other night?” Mateo asks.


    “Inconsequential to our current situation,” Okami replies.


    “Here, this is the best feature I’ve found,” he says tapping a brown rune.


    A small map projects above the tablet showing explored locations leaving those unexplored in a cloudy haze. He presses his claw against several small images adding markings to the map.


    “This allows us to mark locations, I’m sure this was the intention of the Order of the Dragon, but imagine what we can accomplish, we could mark every brothel in Gottes on here and-,” he stops as Mateo folds his arms.


    “Or we could mark important things on the map like, powerful monsters we can’t defeat until we rank up and major cities.”


    “Yes, those things too.”


    Mateo rubs his head with a sigh as he turns to leave the room.


    “Wait, there is something else,” Okami says pulling him out of the tavern.


    The midday air is pleasant as Okami leads Mateo away from the tavern. Mateo looks over Okami noticing some patches of fur missing that are replaced with scars. Adventuring isn’t without its dangers. Mateo will surely have scars of his own before too long.


    They walk for a bit as Okami sniffs the air for anyone ease dropping.


    “Mateo, may I speak with you in private for a moment?”


    “I don’t see why not.”


    “You sleep with Serenity often.”


    “Is this a sex thing?”


    Okami sighs.


    “No, she said you have nightmares, or rather memories, something you yourself stated when we first met, though I didn’t give it any thought then, but after Jessica gave us these rune tablets, I discovered an index in one of the runes, it showed information claiming that the tablet was created by a realmwalker such as yourself, one whom called themself a technologist, it’s rare for realmwalkers to regain the memories of their past lives as this can greatly alter our own realm, the technologist''s name wasn’t listed, likely for fear that someone would track them down and assassinate them for their blasphemous knowledge, they’re probably hidden away somewhere under the protection of the order of the dragon, what I’m getting at is be careful who you share knowledge from your past life with, knowledge can be more dangerous a weapon than any sword or spell.”


    “Thanks Okami, I’ll keep that in mind,” Mateo replies with a serious look on his face.


    Until now he hadn’t given thought to how the knowledge of his own realm might affect this one. With Okami’s insight he starts to worry that he might hold knowledge that could advance this world, or certain parties of it, more swiftly than others. Knowledge is power, and power is something everyone wants. Along with well toned thighs and perky breasts.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The group take a few bounties to earn coin. Lesser contracts are easy for five adventurers. Serenity, Terror, and Okami ascend to three talons. Mateo purchases some low-level leather armor. He’s on the cusp of ascending when his party falters to petty hatred. At the worst possible time.


    “Be on the lookout, Bushrazors are ambush creatures, and this one has already killed three adventurers and seven villagers,” Okami says.


    Terror glares over at Stitches. Serenity doesn’t seem anymore enthusiastic about having her around. So far, she’s just used lesser healing spells to keep them going. Which is kind of useless for a healer since they could have Okami do it.


    “Does anyone else hear that?” Okami says.


    “In the trees, there are quite a few of them,” Serenity says drawing her daggers.


    “Damn, I think we walked into a nest, Stitches cast your detect life so we can see them, Terror, take out the biggest one you can find, Serenity, we are tree hopping,” Mateo says.


    “And what makes you think you’re the leader?” Serenity says.


    “You’re right, what do you want to do?” Mateo replies.


    “Just do what he said, and we should squash these bugs with ease,” she sighs.


    A near innumerable foe assaults them. Razor sharp blade arms cut through the air as they dodge them. Terror stops them with his gauntlets crushing the creatures they belong too. The battle is a short skirmish. And that’s when the shit storm starts.


    “Excellent, Terror is not a shambling corpse at the will of a weak stick wielder.”


    “Well at-least I’m not some mindless barbarian!” Stitches replies angrily.


    “Terror wonders if flesh puzzle even has its own brain.”


    Stitches’ eyes well up with tears and Mateo, having had enough of their bickering steps in.


    “Enough children!” He yells placing himself between them.


    “Terror is not child like meat puppet,” he says raising his fist.


    Mateo stares him down knowing good and well he can’t take a three-talon, especially not a three-talon tank like Terror. Serenity flashes between them like a lightning bolt gripping Terror’s wrist as her razor-sharp blade shaves some hairs off his scruffy neck. The tension near explodes when Okami lets out an audible sigh shaking his head.


    “What in the void are you idiots doing, we’re supposed to be a team and you’re all bickering at each other like a bunch of wild bitches fighting over scraps of meat, and to think you call me a dog,” he stops and points a finger at Terror.


    “You, for all you’ve lost I would have figured you more sensitive toward a young girl who has had everything and more taken from her, her world, her friends, even herself, and yet she still seeks to give and give and give until there isn’t a fucking scrap of herself left,” Okami says grinding his sharp teeth.


    “Terror tires of this, Terror leaves.”


    Mateo steps away with a disappointed sigh as his team dissolves into an angry mass.


    “Mateo!” Serenity yells.


    While the group was fighting amongst itself the true predator was moving in on its prey. An alpha bushrazor lunges from the brush. The razor-sharp arm length claw slashes at the base of Serenity’s torso and she coughs blood. Her torso seperated from her legs as they both make a thud on the ground.


    Okami lets out a loud howl pouncing on the creature with gnashing fang and ripping claw. It tries to scurry back into the brush but can’t escape his assault. In his rage he rips it limb from limb mercilessly. Mateo leans down to Serenity gripping her soft violet hand as her bright pink eyes fade to a dull peach.


    “Mateo, I-,” she coughs blood lowering her head as the blood loss from her severed torso overcomes her.


    Ability activated: Immortal Seamstress.


    In the far away realm of Drakvania.


    A warrior adorned in dark scaled armor kneels before a massive, winged dragon. Two glowing orbs open and gnashing jaws bring life to words of instruction.


    “Have you given them the tablets?” It asks, the words resonating like a booming thunder.


    “Yes, lord Dios.” The knight replies.


    “And what of the pixie?”


    “She seems to be bound to the Archon killer my lord.”


    “An outer realmwaker as I had hoped, continue to observe them, intervene if you must, but do not allow the realmwalker to perish,” the creature says its gnashing maw devouring the air around it as it speaks.


    “I do not mean to question your motive my lord, but I would like to be made known of it,” the knight says standing, her long silver hair draped down to the small of her back.


    “I do not chastise those who seek knowledge, for knowledge is power, being that as it is, when outer realmwalkers come into being their physical cadavers are vessels inhabited by their consciousness, the longer they are here the more information their conscious imprints on their mind of their past life, as it is, his vessel is too weak for me to posses and would break down, but if it is allowed to grow stronger, then I will be able to inhabit it, and gain all of the knowledge within.”


    “I will see to it that the vessel grows to your liking, lord Dios,” the knight says placing her right fist over her heart with a bow before leaving the chamber.


    The dragon lowers its head returning to its eternal slumber.