Into the Forest

Once he stepped out side he felt the air touch his face. It was the first time since he got here that he had step foot outside of the facility and was able to breath in fresh, unfiltered air. He took in a deep breath and filled his lungs until he felt his chest start to burst and held it in for a long time. Finally he let it all out.

Standing before him where the same people from last time. Rad stood tall with his arms folded across his chest chatting with his son, Ajax. Beliz was off to the side of him and was on his tablet and typing.

What is he doing that must require him to be constantly on the tablet? Every single time that Titania has seen Beliz he is either working or on the tablet typing away. So focused in at times to the point of being unresponsive when talked to.

Ajax stood closely behind Rad, as though his living shadow. He no longer need to the support of a cane to stand or walk but he moved much more stiffly. He should probably do more physical therapy to fix it.

Once he got outside Reese and Farron followed and stayed behind Beliz. "Subject Zero is here for the final test." Farron announced to the group present. When Beliz heard this he quickly snapped his nose out of his tablet and looked at Titania.

He stared for a unsavory amount of time before Rad cleared his throat loudly enough to snap Beliz out of his stupor. He quickly gathered his marbles and reorganized himself.

"Now the next test is the Survival test." Beliz said as he looked to his side, making eye contact with Rad.

When Rad heard this his eyes opened wide with shock. He quickly raised a hand in protest, "The kid doesn't even know how to fight properly, and you saw how he did!" He said loudly, almost yelling. This was the loudest he had been in facility. He startled everyone when he did this, the loudest thing he had done is laugh loudly when one of the researchers was making small talk and cracked a joke.

All of the researchers found it both weird and funny seeing a large, muscular man giggling and laughing to the point of rolling on the floor at a joke.

"We can like, um, give him a gun. Yeah that would work... Right?" Beliz looked behind him to Reese and Farron for support. They quickly looked at each other and nodded their heads in agreement. "We still have to get data and results." Beliz said now facing towards Rad.

"And you know how the higher ups are." He added.

Rad, still not taking this as an answer, "Does the kid even know how to shoot a gun?" To both of their surprises, Titania responded instead of Beliz.

"Yeah I do, I am an Amer-," Titania said with a straight face before he caught himself. He quickly came up with an excuse. "My father taught me."

When Rad heard this he just raised his eyebrow in suspicion. Beliz on the other hand just stared at him blankly, as though still in the process of creating emotion.

In moments notice, Rad pulled at his left pant sleeve and the reached his boot and started to pull at some of the wraps. The loud sound of a Velcro wrap ripping apart filled their ears. It was apparent that Rad had an ankle holster. He then pulled out a gun, its muzzle pointing to the sky. Rad stared at Titania for a moment while twiddling the gun in his hand.

Rad then handed Titania the pistol. Rad to where the safety was at on it and then backed away. It was always a good rule of thumb to give a person who is going to do something potentially dangerous enough space.

"Alright then!" Beliz said nervously as he saw Titania holding a gun. It wasn't aimed at him or anyone but still made him nervous at the possibility. "Your Survival Test will be taking place in there!"

He pointed towards the forest surrounding the facility. The trees where thick with leaves, that even though it was midday there was very little light in the forest.

"Your main goal is to survive for ten days in the wilderness, unassisted."

When Titania heard this he was shocked. He had absolutely zero survival skills. When he heard that he would receive no help of any kind, he knew it was the final nail in the coffin. The very forest that protects the facility now becomes Titania's death.

"Don't worry though, you were originally suppose to go in without a weapon but now you have a gun. So... You got that going for you." Beliz said in an attempt to soothe Titania seeing the state when he said that he would have to survive in the forest.

Titania then just looked at Beliz with a look, saying, 'Did he really just say that?'. He then held his head up high and looked at Beliz straight in the eyes.

"When does it begin?"

Beliz looked at the clock on his "Now!"

Titania then ran towards Forest at his top speed, disappearing into the thick foliage of the trees. He did this for many reasons. He knew that he could not voice any protest towards the test as he would definitely be deemed as noncompliant. He also thought that if he walked towards the forest it could be taken as a sign of reluctance. So he ran towards the forest, making sure that they were aware that he is 'willing' taking the test, regardless of the fact that his life is in danger.

Shortly after Titania left so did Beliz and the researchers behind him. Leaving on Rad and Ajax standing still in the same position. There wind started to kick up a bit, sending chills down Ajax's spine jolting him to be awake and present in the moment.

"Ajax follow and monitor him." Rad whispered to his son. Before Ajax could voice any protest Rad spoke again, "I want to make sure that the results that Beliz is sending are true. It is not that I don't trust him, I just think that their relationship is more than scientist and experiment."

Ajax let out a loud sigh from his throat and then ran into the forest in the same direction as Titania.

***

When Titania first entered the forest he quickly slowed down into a walk. He knew that from this point on he must conserve as much energy as possible. Of course he made sure that he slowed down once he was out of eyesight of the researchers. Once he slowed down he admired the forest wilderness.

Under the shade of the forest trees that block much sunlight the entire forest had a permanent cool temperature, almost cold. The high humidity of the forest amplified its temperature even more. The trees made up the bulk of the forest were covered in sticky sap that clung to Titania's hands whenever he touched it. So far from what he had encountered there were no significantly large animals that could kill him but rather to occasional squirrel and small game.

Titania knew that he had no food or water on him. He only a gun with a loaded magazine and no other way to reload on bullets. He knew that he must play it conservatively during this test. So far he knew that he must find a water source somewhere, from a lake or pond. He began searching for it the best way he knew how.

By wandering aimlessly and having high hopes.

He knew that he didn't have to worry about hunting for food anytime soon as he could shoot with his gun. His only concern regarding that is how many bullets is going to use if he does go hunting. He preferred that he used only one per animal. Then he remembered something.

He forgot to collect the rewarded from the combat assessment.

[Mission Complete!]

[Defend yourself from General Rad the Steadfast until the assessment is over!]

[Reward: 1 Free Random Talent (Compatibility not guaranteed)]

When Titania saw this he crossed his fingers that he would receive something that would help him in his situation. A survival based talent would work extremely well in his current situation. Something that could help with finding a safe drinking source would be the best, if he would drinking water then he would find other animals too.

He paused for a moment before accepting the reward. To gather his marbles and in some case, luck. After the moment he tapped the reward.

[Randomizing...]

[Talent received!]

[Talent: Funeral Director]

When Titania read this he raised his eyebrow at it. Just from reading the name of the talent, he felt a pit develop in his stomach. Most of his hopes of getting a talent that would help him were now dashed, but a small speck remained. He tapped on the description of the talent in some hope of finding help.

[Talent: Funeral Director]

[Description: You are there to guide those who have died into the afterlife and help those who mourn there lose. You were there when they were alive and now you lay them to rest. As the enemy's health gets lower they take more damage from your attacks.]

[Remarks: Doesn't help you at funerals.]

When Titania took this as a mixed result. He didn't know how to feel about it. It helped in combat and can see how it can work his spore production ability. He could use the spore production early into the fight so that it could chip away at the enemy's health and then when it was. It also could have helped him with his bout with General Rad.

But it didn't help him with his current situation. He still needed to find a source of water, hell even an animal that had a lot of blood would substitute well.

He still wanders aimless with much lower hope, never retracing his steps only going forward. He prays that it might rain, but even then he has no means to collect rain water. Collect it with the tree leaves? No, the leaves too weak to carry it and too small contain a significant amount.

Perhaps he could drink from the puddles the way that elk and deer do and eat the moss found on gray rocks and leaves from bushes who bear better tasting fruit. But there is no water around him and the sky remain an clear blue with the occasional white cloud and no large game.

Unbeknownst Titania someone follows him, watching ever so closely. He watches, his eyes never leaving its gaze even to blink he still looks. Behold for the one observing is Ajax! Like how the hunter stalks its prey before taking the final leap with it's maw wide, so does Ajax follows Titania! He follows quietly behind Titania, never making to much noise but the occasional grumbling to himself.

"I don't know why Dad wants me to follow him," He muttered to himself as he stalks Titania, who wanders around aimlessly.

Titania presses forward and still doesn't go back to retrace his steps. Until finally he hears the sound of rushing water.