Sen walked back to Murdin's house alone. There were still several hours of daylight left, which meant he had some time before he could go hunting.

  Until then, he had preparations he wanted to make. Hopefully Murdin would be alright, but there was nothing he could do.

  Nothing he could do for Murdin, at least. The garoush was a different story.

  Sen started by creating a number of additional exploding stones. They were simple, and it didn't take him long to make a small bag full. The glyphs came easily to him, now.

  Next, he took a blunt rock and began etching into it. He had to reference a number of glyphs from one of Murdin's enchantment books, but he found, thankfully, that they weren't beyond him. Some of the glyphs on the wardstone were a bit more difficult than this, despite the whole project itself ranking in at a relatively easy level.

  Murdin had ensured he was more than adept enough, despite the short timeframe of his apprenticeship, to create wardstones, and that meant that he had the engraving skills to use a surprising number of enchantments.

  The hardest part, really, was knowing how to use them. Sen had a couple ideas, though, and decided to put them in action for when he confronted the garoush.

  He added several small enchantments to the stone. Then, instead of using the normal enchantments which connected to the spear haft, simply used another enchantment to carve the sharp part from the blunt stone and connected it to the wooden piece manually.

  On the wooden part of the spear, he used several reinforcement enchants to ensure it would stand up to the beast. The spear probably wouldn't be much use after, but that was fine. The amount of power required to ensure the integrity of the shaft would mean using the spear again would be pointless. It was only one spear, made of sticks and stones. He could replace it easily.

  Sen built the enchantments to eat away at the shaft from the end first. That meant he might lose a little bit of reach, but if it got to that point, he would likely have other problems. These were the same enchantments that made walls stand up to storms, so if a giant wolf managed to push it that far, Sen was probably taking too many hits.

  He also took the time to inscribe a number of scrolls. He hadn't made any of these since he woke up in his new life. It was both painful and reassuring to inscribe a rune once more. Painful, for all the memories associated with this magic. Reassuring, because as long as he remembered the art, it felt like some part of the world would never forget all those who were lost.

  As long as he remembered Anelica, Amery, and so many more, then...

  That was where he stopped, because letting himself feel too much of that would prove a distraction. He couldn't allow that. The sun was beginning to lower, so it would be time, soon.

  These scrolls would be an instrumental part of the fight, he knew. He hadn’t used the magic from his old life much, yet, but it would give him advantages that even a nigh unbreakable spear couldn’t. He didn’t have the skill or strength to overpower the creature like Murdin did, so he would need a creative solution.

  Idly, Sen wondered how Murdin had nearly overpowered the creature. It wasn’t magic - or if it was, it had been applied in a way that wildly differed from what he’d studied so far.

  Sen had wanted to add a couple enchantments to his clothes, similar to the ones Murdin wore. Unfortunately, he had looked into the enchantments, and even following the references that Murdin had, he knew it would be far too much for him. His skills had grown significantly, but that was a level of complexity he could easily admit he wasn't ready for.

  It was unfortunate, but Sen felt confident nonetheless. Most of the creatures he hunted in his previous life were smaller, but no less ferocious than the cockatrill and garoush. He knew he could handle it, and a bit of enchanted clothing, armor, would just be insurance.

  A knock sounded at the door, and he opened it to see Tadun. His bland expression hadn't changed, but he greeted Sen with a slight bow. "Apprentice Tane, I bring good news. Murdin has made it through surgery, and seems to be doing well. He should make a full recovery."

  Sen smiled at that, relief flowing through him. "I'm glad," he said. His smile fell just as quickly, though. "Even after he recovers, he won't be ready to face anything like a garoush, though."

  Tudan shook his head. "No," the man said. "He will not."

  "I see." The two of them fell into a short silence, until Tudan excused himself.

  Before he left, the man looked Sen in the eye. "Be careful, apprentice.” Sen looked at him curiously, but he turned and left without saying any more.

  It was good to know Murdin would be okay, but that didn't change the urgency of the situation. The garoush still stood as a danger to the entire town, even if it was currently injured.

  He continued working on a few more tools, but eventually he realized he was just putting off the inevitable. He felt confident, but that didn't mean he wasn't a little nervous. The garoush was huge, and it rivaled some of the largest creatures he'd ever hunted before, and those he had hunted with at least Anelica by his side. The thought of his sister was a pang in his heart, but he brushed it aside.

  The sun had fallen, so he stepped out into the night air. A light breeze brought a small chill with the dark. Wind on his face was a refreshing change from the stillness of Murdin’s workshop. It had only been a short time, but Sen felt the lack of his presence. Normally, there was a constant drone of movement, chisels tapping against stone, papers moving - of life, emanating from the workshop, even when Sen worked outside. The stone walls could not hold all sounds at bay.

  Sen breathed deep, then set off for the edges of Shiren. It didn’t take long to arrive at the outskirts of the forest. One of the biggest problems with his entire plan was that he didn’t actually know how to find the garoush. It wasn’t impossible that he simply would not be able to find it again. In that case, all his preparation would be meaningless.

  Staring out into the darkness, a chill wind whipping at him ineffectively thanks to warmth, he began to wonder if this was a better choice than simply waiting. The creature was injured. Tomorrow, or in a few days, the mayor would have a whole group of men ready to attempt killing the monster. He didn’t really need to go out and kill it himself. It would probably be safer to wait. Wisdom, and practicality, suggested that waiting was the best option.

  And yet, Sen couldn’t find it in himself to consider an alternative. Somehow, he’d ended up walking into the exact same work he’d had in his first life - a monster hunter. Oh, he’d always seen it as learning magic first, and simply followed the common expectation that magicians used their abilities to protect the world around them. But, when it came down to it, the two were synonymous. Magicians hunted monsters.

  That hadn’t changed, despite everything else that had. Those with power used it.

  Did Sen still have that power? He didn’t know. He had died - and he had, against all possibility, woken up, alive. It was a small argument, but it was all he had. If he waited, someone else might get injured, just like Murdin had. Protecting him.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  He couldn’t let that happen. Not only that - he needed to know. Could he hunt the garoush on his own? If he couldn’t, then what was the point? How would he continue on if this small stumbling block was too large for him?

  He looked up at the stars above, taking a moment’s rest, darkness surrounding him, the slight whisper of leaves dancing above at the beat of the wind. He didn’t want to admit it. It was an unfathomable hope, but he needed it. Needed it like a starving man needed food, or someone lost in the desert needed water. Sen needed revenge.

  He needed to kill gods.

  If he couldn’t kill an overgrown wolf — what hope did he have?

  He worked his way back to the area where he encountered the garoush. He found the blood trail it left behind without too much trouble, even with the rapidly changing colors of his light spell, channeled from a scroll in his hand. He found it frustrating that he couldn’t control it properly, which left him with a handful of light that shifted between all the colors of the rainbow and varied in intensity with every moment.

  This new life had, for some reason, taken away the control he’d honed over the spell in his first life. Ultimately, it didn’t slow him down or change anything, but it was odd, and Sen sorely felt the lacking amount of mana available to him.

  He would have to remedy these issues, soon. For now, though, the blood trail awaited. Sen followed it deep into the forest, the slight light of the moon doing little to illuminate the depths of the wooded world around him.

  He tracked the blood stains to the bottom of a large cliff face, almost like the overhang he’d first encountered the beast. A large opening in the rock stood there, several fallen shrubs almost pointing toward the cave.

  Sen had found his prey. It was time to hunt.

  Though the cave had a wide mouth, it didn’t seem too deep. Sen had dismissed the light spell. The lighter tree density near the cliff face let the light of the moon above reveal the edges of a large shadowy bulk resting a few steps inside the cave, just enough to avoid the wind and rain.

  Taking the opportunity, Sen walked around the small, flattened clearing near the cave entrance. He set a scroll in several areas, then, with a mental command and a pulse of mana, linked them to another scroll that he placed in the center of the clearing.

  He readied his spear, then pulled out a handful of explosive stones. He stepped forward, throwing the stones toward the garoush. Most of them hit, and to devastating effect. A blood-curdling cry ripped from the giant wolf’s throat, more panic and hurt than rage and anger. Blood flowed from the creature as it rushed out of the cave to meet its attacker, eyes focusing on Sen in the dim light.

  If the creature could think, Sen would have described the way it raised its lips and bared its teeth as demonic scorn. Hatred coursed through its eyes - or, eye, rather, as one stayed closed, crusted over with blood. It howled, long and heavy and mouth raised to the moon above. It was a hymn, a dirge, a celebration of this new prey, revenge for the pain Sen had caused it earlier in the day.

  It looked toward him, and ran forward. When the first of its legs passed by the small scroll Sen had left in the center of the clearing, a bright sparking light crept up from the forest floor, causing the creature’s muscles to lock up. It collapsed, falling forward, yelping.

  Sen braced himself against the limp but stilled gigantic body, spear before him. The butt stood strong in the ground below, and when the wolf continued to slide forward, it fell directly onto his spear. The spear cut deep.

  Sen’s trap wasn’t done yet, though. A mental gesture commanded several balls of fire to form, flying toward the immobilized creature, splashing into its body and burning its flesh. Sen could smell the crispy tang of burnt meat. He’d forgotten to eat, earlier. His stomach rebelled at him, but it was not the time, and he dismissed the feeling.

  Despite the many wounds on its body, the beast still lived. Two spears stuck from its bleeding body, alongside several spots of raw flesh where the explosive stones had left it damaged. Slowly, it regained control of its limbs. Shaky steps pulled it back to its feet, and another cry of rage greeted Sen, only this time from a mere few feet away. He scrambled to pull the spear free as it stood, but the head was stuck. It shouldn’t break, not yet, not with the enchantments he added to it, but he couldn’t count on that entirely.

  He pulled a small scroll from his waist, palming it in his hand before smacking it into the creature’s shoulder, as deep into the wound as he could press. Another spark of energy ignited in his hand, burning the creature in a fractal pattern that spidered out from where Sen touched it. This one didn’t manage to disable it, only make the garoush angrier, but Sen did manage to pull the spear free and stumble back to temporary safety as the pain rushed over the monster.

  A whistling wind was the only hint of what came next, and Sen dropped to the ground just in time to—

  The creature’s tail clipped him, sending him sprawling, off balance. He recovered quickly, but the creature was already on him, and Sen had only a moment to recognize the claws ripping through the air, aimed directly for his chest. Each claw stood the length of Sen’s own arm.

  He let himself fall to the ground, spear still in hand, then rolled to the side. He used the nail of his thumb to grind into the wooden shaft of his spear, connecting a final line in one of his enchantments.

  The creature yelped as a blinding light erupted from the head of his spear. Sen took the chance to pull himself up, then slam the spear into its good eye. He drove it deep, as hard as he could. He pulled out another scroll. For good measure, he thought to himself as he ignited the paper in his hand, channeling as much mana as he could. A small explosion rocked its way through his body, pushing the spear deeper.

  The garoush swayed for a moment. Then, a long moment later, it stopped moving.

  Its death came with little fanfare. The front legs collapsed first, pitching the body forward to land at Sen’s feet. Sighing, Sen collapsed to the ground, breathing hard and letting himself turn to lean against the dead bulk. He patted the monster’s snout appreciatively.

  The fight had been too short to exhaust him physically, but the sudden ending left him dazed and shaky. He looked up at the moon above. A cloud worked its way over the huge orb in the sky, leaving him in relative darkness even as he looked up.

  The fight had gone almost exactly as planned, aside from the sore shoulder and cuts on his arms and face. Sloppy, he decided. He needed to be better than that. He shouldn’t have gotten hit at all.

  Sen sat there for a short while longer, letting himself cool down from the fight. He let his eyes wander across the starry sky above. Thoughts flowed from him without form, jumping between memories of an old life and possibilities for a new one.

  His old life had ended only what amounted to a week before, but Tane’s memories within him had another life sandwiched between those moments. Altogether, it made Sen feel as though he hadn’t hunted anything for about two decades.

  He hadn’t realized how much he missed it. He savored the hunt, the search for the monster. Following this creature’s path through the woods had not been trivial, but it was within his grasp. His light spell, uncontrolled though it was, had been invaluable. It was hard to miss a small river of blood, after all, so long as you could see it. That he had lost the trail for a few moments, several times, didn’t change anything.

  Not just the hunt, though - but, rather, the hunt. This was a first for him. Always, before, he held a workman-like attitude toward it all. Putting down dangerous creatures was a necessary, but bland part of his life.

  The creatures he’d hunted before stood barely up to his chest, at best. The sort of creatures his skill allowed him to hunt had never been especially dangerous, unless they formed into packs. Even then, a bit of planning, and any amount of backup trivialized those encounters.

  Large creatures like this garoush, or the cockatrill, however, they lit something in him. Fighting something larger than himself felt like a tacit permission to hope, to dare, to overcome problems that he never thought he’d be able to conquer. To imagine that, someday, he might be able to kill something unkillable.

  Up in the sky, Sen followed the flow of several stars, their twinkling light drawing the eye and somehow pushing from one to the next. It looked like a wide-winged bird, its beak to the side. A small scattering of small, red stars sat nearby, the sky around them turning red.

  Anyone else might described it in a different way - this was a rare occasion when Sen felt a disconnect between the part of him that was Sen, and the part of him that was Tane.

  Tane saw a simple bird, without any interesting features. No different from the heraldry sometimes used throughout the town, or by traveling merchants.

  To Sen’s eyes, the bird above rode the night sky on wings of fire. Blue flames cascaded from its wings by the light of twinkling blue stars, lapsing into red fire as they neared the warmer colored red stars. A bright star that shamed every other in the little constellation gleamed at the apex of the pattern like an eye that looked down upon him and this new world he now lived in.

  Perhaps not all of his world had been lost. Eshvanaya, the phoenix, looked down upon him, buoying him up from the dead to live once more.

  To what end? For what purpose? Answering questions like that proved too much for Sen. He satisfied himself with knowing that he had the chance to continue. To do something different. To do better.

  To overcome.