Journey into the Unknown

Mo Hu awoke with a heavy heart as he recounted the events of yesterday, burying the dead and offering prayers for the departed souls, as he turned the ruins of his village into a graveyard. He understood that rebuilding was an impossible task, and he couldn't shake the feeling that the missing members were alive, but their return would potentially be catastrophic for him.

Using the survival knowledge from his previous life and the skills he honed over the years, he began to navigate the dense forest. His first stop was the tree that saved his life, "Sage's breath", where he once again exchanged the foliage on his ghillie suit with free clippings and then headed north by his calculations. The suit allowed him to pass through the majority of the forest in a few days without incident as he forage for food, constructed rudimentary shelters, and moved quickly and stealthily, traveling for a major of the day only allowing himself five to six hours of sleep. After the first week, his suit lost the scent that drove beast away, so his paced slowed down. He had to change the foliage covers more often and walk slower to avoid encounters with beasts and fell into a routine that lasted more than four weeks when suddenly, in the dead of night, Mo Hu found himself on the shore of the beach. The soothing sounds of the crashing waves greeted him as he began to search his surroundings for a acceptable place to set up camp. Once all his preparations were complete, he ate the meager dinner that he had quickly made and went to sleep.

The following morning, as the first rays of sunlight pierced the horizon, Mo Hu stirred from his makeshift tent and gazed out at the expanse of the ocean. On the horizon he spotted the outline of what he believed to be an island and he sat down to sort out his options. If he could reach the island, he would gain a remote sanctuary where the sea would act as a natural barrier against potential threats. The land was barely visible as he could make out a blanket of fog surrounding the island, but he was willing to wager that the land held untold amounts of untapped resources.

Mo Hu walked around to see what materials were available to him and sat down with a stick to design a raft capable of making it to the island. Determined, he grabbed his axe, felled a few trees,and gathered materials near the shore. He made a serviceable raft with a paddle, sail, and anchor and after admiring his work, he proceeded to gather as many fruits as he could take and refill his water skins with fresh water. He knew he needed his strength to make this trip out to sea, so he made a makeshift spear and basket to spearfish and collect shells on the seabed. After a couple days to assemble the raft and his supplies, Mo Hu ate a large breakfast of seafood and fruit, loaded the raft with his backpack and supplies, and pushed the raft out during low tide. It was difficult to time launching the raft during low tide because this world had theee moons and he had to calculate when low tide occurs with some difficulty.

Mo Hu started paddling immediately and it took almost an hour to distance himself from the shore before the wind began to favor him. He raised his sail made of leaves and as he rested, he would use the paddle sparingly to keep on course. The voyage wasn't without challenges as he battled unpredictable weather and winds, his arms straining as he continue to paddle against the winds and currents. Days turned into nights, and nights turned into days as he persevered through the open sea and made his way into the fog surrounding the island.

Mo Hu noticed when he entered the fog, that a persistent pressure descended onto him and a sensation he had not felt before encompass his body and mind. He spurred himself back into action and after what felt like an eternity, the shore of the island appeared in his sights. Mo Hu's heart soared in relief as he maneuvered the raft to land on the beach. He stepped off the raft onto the unfamiliar shore, taking in his surroundings as he beached the raft and dragged it to a place where shrubs would cover it.

Exhausted from the grueling journey, Mo Hu decided to save the exploration of the island until tomorrow and began to set up camp. He used the rest of his food supplies to make a simple but filling meal and as he savored his handiwork, he took in his surroundings as he began to contemplate this new chapter in his life. Sleep overtook his thoughts, his body and mind relaxed, and although he had been burdened by the last few months of constant travel and potential danger, he looked forward to the discoveries of tomorrow.