Corpse

"What was that?"

"I don't know Leon, maybe I have superpowers, die."

Daz held his hand out, mimicking the motion that he had made when teleporting Leon, yet nothing happened while the wolves advanced ever further.

"I...don't think we're going to be able to run anymore"

"Great observation Leon, didn't you say you were given a knife, use that."

"Against those beasts who could ravage me in a second? No thanks."

"Then I'll do it, give me the knife."

Daz's voice was hurried as he focused on the wolves less than a hundred meters away, the only reason they were still alive was the hill slowing their movements down.

Leon fumbled around with the belt on his waist trying to unclip the knife from its holster, dropping it as soon as it unclasped.

"Sh*t."

Daz outstretched his hand one last time as a wolf pounced over him, its mouth opening in four directions revealing a mixture of teeth and saliva coating the inside, a putrid stench escaped from the monster's stomach, wafting over Daz who gagged by reflex.

A bright light engulfed his hand once again as the knife that Leon had dropped appeared and was subsequently thrust into the wolf's soft palate, or what felt like one.

The wolf jumped back from its attack, a blue substance leaking from its gaping mouth.

"Daz are you ok?!" Leon scrambled toward him while keeping his attention focused on the three assailants threatening his life.

"I'm fine, but I don't think the stab did much."

The wolf reared itself for another attack, this time in tandem with another of the pack who had circled to the right.

 Deciding to take the initiative Daz lunged forward aiming for the eye of the already injured wolf who backed away before his knife could reach.

`It was worth a shot`

Before he could step back Daz felt a rush of wind run along his back coupled with a burning sensation that ran deep into his flesh. He was then forced to the ground with the strength and weight of an overgrown wolf on top of him, its claws digging deeper than the initial cut.

`Well, it was a fun life, maybe next time I'll have a girlfriend.`

*Swchwing*

"GAWA"

As Daz internalised his last wishes a small needle that was 36 millimeters long flew through the wolf's eyes, lodging itself deeply inside the creature's skull, killing it outright.

"Damn Leon, that's some hardcore sewing." 

Daz pulled himself free of the wolf's carcass with a great effort that left his arms sore, his back screamed in pain as it was dragged along the floor and mixed with the dirt, grass, and stones.

`Definitely going to need to disinfect that as soon as I can.` He thought as he ran a finger along the scratches, determining the damage and bleeding.

He looked around to see where the other wolves that had surrounded them were but noticed that they were missing.

"Where did they run to?"

"I...don't know, they just ran over the hills."

"That's convenient, let's run while we have the chance."

Daz turned to run but was grabbed by Leon before he could start.

"Just wait a bit, the last bit of info on the pamphlet said that beating beasts like this would drop useful items, I think."

"You think?"

"I can't remember it fully."

"Whatever, does that mean we have to skin it because I don't know how to."

Daz took a look at the knife in his hand, `This won't cut it anyway`

"Let's just wait and see, maybe it's like those games where enemies poof themselves out of existence and have items lay in their place." 

"How long do you think that'll take?" Daz responded, not believing what Leon said.

"No idea, let's just sit here and wait."

`When do you ever have an idea Leon?` 

Leon took a seat on the ground and gestured for Daz to follow suit next to him.

"What about if the wolves come back?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

Daz wanted to protest further, but decided against it, instead taking his seat next to Leon who began humming a tune to himself as the time passed them both by.

...

Further forward on the plains, a lone swordsman stood towering over the wolve's bodies, his sword dripping with blue blood and his face bloodied and scarred.

"What are you lot doing down here then?"

...

"It's been nearly an hour Leon, I don't think it's going to despawn."

Daz and Leon had spent the past hour staring down at the wolf's corpse to no avail.

"The fur's changed colour slightly, just give it a little more time."

Looking closer at the fur presented Daz with a slight shift from its previous dark blue to a dark purple.

"Woooow, that changes so much," He said sarcastically, "I'm sure that the body will just disappear...Now." 

As if to drive his point home he pretended to be a wizard making random hand gestures at the corpse.

"How will you explain the colour shift then? I challenge you."

Leon began pouting as he crossed his arms and laid on his back in protest to Daz's actions.

"It could just be a shift in light, or perhaps it's decomposition taking its toll on the fur's sheen."

"Daz, that sounds ridiculous, both of those, firstly if light shifted it would affect everything around, and secondly decomposition takes at least a day."

"It could be quicker."

"Of all the things why would they make decomposition quicker if they could just remove the bodies instantly."

"I don't know, they might want us to suffer in an eternal wait for something that doesn't exist."

"It does exist."

"Uh-huh, maybe it exists on another plane of existence and we can't interact with it."

"Daz, it's a process of nature."

"Exactly, therefore we can't interact with it, so we should just be on our merry way, especially since my back definitely needs cleaning and disinfecting."

"Half an hour"

Daz perked up.

"Half an hour for what?"

"We'll wait for half an hour, then move on."

"Fine, but then we're off, no backing out now."

...

"Are you guys the ones who were attacked by those wolves back there?"

After 20 minutes passed the swordsman climbed the hill overseeing Daz and Leon sitting peacefully.

"What gave it away? Was it the giant wolf carcass in front of us?" Daz retorted.

The swordsman didn't reply, instead scanning the surrounding area before climbing down and striding towards Leon.

"How did you do it?"

"Uhhh I...used my sewing kit?"

"A sewing kit?"

Leon nodded his head, words unable to escape his mouth.

"That's a mighty impressive way to take down a creature not meant for this floor, are you a prodigy of combat, hmm."

The man took a closer look at Leon's face, and then to the rest of his body which was built like a stick had become human.

"Probably not, just luck, well that's not too bad either."

Daz watched the man's movements with intense scrutiny.

"And you over there."

"!"

"You've been staring at me like I'm a serial killer or something, I'll have you know that I am most certainly not."

"That puts my mind to rest." Daz responded with his characteristic sarcasm, which went over the swordsman's head.

"That's great to hear, now then, what are you two planning to do with that corpse."

"Stare at it for another 10 minutes then leave." Daz took no seconds to respond to the man's question.

"WHAT." The man's face twisted into a horrored expression, as if someone had murdered a family member in front of him.

"You were going to leave it?! Something as valuable as this?!"

"Yeah, but now you've intrigued me, say more."

"I'm willing to but it off of you for, hmm, 7 gold bars and a scroll of invisibility."

"That doesn't seem fair in the slightest, it's just a corpse."

"Then make the trade, I can show you the items if you'd like it that way."

"What do you think Leon, do we sell or keep?"

Leon shook his head as fast as his head could swivel.

"I'll assume that means that we won't sell, sorry man."

"What a shame, I'll leave you two with it for now, I've got to figure out why this happened, I'll see you later, I'm sure of it."

With that, he left the two teens to ponder about what could be so valuable about the wolf's corpse that they possessed.

"What do you think?"

".."

"Leon you can speak to me, surely I'm not as scary as that big burly guy with a massive sword dripping monster blood all over, right?"

"Sorry, I...don't deal with situations like that very well."

"That doesn't matter, all that matters now is that we figure out what's up with this corpse."

Daz patted Leon's head before standing up and examining the corpse up front, revealing nothing new that couldn't be seen.

`Maybe we do have to skin it.`

As he thought that the body started to condense itself in flurry of blue and pink light.