---------------------
The Boy's POV
---------------------

Oh how I hate this forest. Its midday and it's nearly impossible to see 5 feet in front of me. Well, it would be if I wasn't used to the darkness. I can see just fine actually. Most people wouldn't be able to, though.

Not only that but it's been a terrible hunt so far, it's been half a day and I've only caught a single horned rabbit and a microtaur. This'll barely last me 3 days if I eat normally.

I suppose I can't complain. Its better than another night of Dragon's Breath. Even thinking about that is making me lose my appetite.

But speaking of appetite, something smells incredible. It smells like... Pork? No, chicken? Whatever it is, it's probably better than what I have on me right now.

I should be careful though, not many wander into this forest accidentally. Even the dumbest animals tend to steer away from this place.

---------------------
??? POV
---------------------

Someone's approaching. I can't hear them, but I know. Their mana is leaking out of their body like it's running through a faulty pipe. It's an incredible amount, really. Probably near the level of the top mages.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised though, this forest isn't exactly the safest of places, but even without that amount of mana, you should be able to survive on pure sword skills alone.

It's admirable that they are this close and I still can't hear them. That's probably one of the reasons why they've been able to survive for this long. Being unnoticed by prey is the best tactic for a hunter, but I suppose they're lucky that the monsters here can't feel the presence of mana.

Oh damn, my chicken almost burnt! I was paying too much attention on the person behind... Me?

What? They're gone. Not even the mana that was leaking is present now.

Did they run? But I should have felt it. Was I too focused on my food? Damn it, they might've been the one I've been searching for.

I need to go look for them. I need to go look for them. I need to - My chicken is burning again?!

I've got to eat this first, or else I might start a fire. Yes, a fire, I can't let that happen. The only reason I have to not chase them and to instead indulge in this juicy piece of chicken...

---------------------
The Boy's POV
---------------------

That was too close. If I had stayed any longer I would've been spotted. That chicken smelt so good I almost ran in there to take it.

But I think it'll be for the best to head back for now, it'll be hard to hunt efficiently if I have to keep an eye out for a knight too.

And this is probably the worst haul I've had in a while. One horned rabbit and a microtaur. If I ration it, I might be able to make it last a week, but no more than that.

But that's something to think about when I'm in the clear, for now I've got to rush back and close the wall.

---------------------

I finally made it back. That took a bit longer than expected because I had to be on a higher alert than usual due to that damn knight.

But first, let's close up the wall.

"[Rise]!"

Ahh, finally, some peace. Now I can relax all I want. Kind of. I need to figure out how long I'm going to be able to survive using these - scraps?

Thats the best I can call these. I never got a good look at them before, but these monsters are almost all bone. They have no meat on them at all.

I'm not going to be able to ration these for a week. I'll only get a couple days out of these at best.

For now, let's conserve them, and I'll eat the last of my previous hunt, a 6-legged boar. That thing was a pain to kill, but so worth it, the meat on it is incredible, but probably not on the same level as that chicken from earlier.

"[Burn]."

Ahh, quick and easy, just the way I like it, and not charred and ash like the boar from the other day. Just perfect.

I should eat this quickly and put out the fire, it's probably visible to the knight through magic perception.

"[Douse]."

Darkness covered the room after I finished my chant. The only light coming in was from the spots form the moonlight outside that creeped in from gaps between the wall and the cliff.

But this seems like a good time to sleep, I might have to go hunting tomorrow too, those monsters won't last me long.

---------------------
Authors Notes
---------------------

Hey, thanks for reading my second chapter. Again, I had a blast writing this one, especially since I don't usually get the chance to write in first person. I do feel like some parts are very sudden though, as with the first chapter, but I am trying my best to stop that.

I also thought that I should give a quick explanation to the magic that has already been used, just to stop any confusion.

[Burn] lights the target on fire. The temperature and size of the fire is entirely dependant on how much mana is used, but [Burn] can only get up to a certain amount of fire power.

[Rise] pulls a block of earth from the ground in accordance to its caster's needs. The more complex the shape, the more mana is needed, and the bigger the shape, the more mana is needed. Can only pull up a certain amount of earth before it stops casting.

[Fall] as already said, it is the opposite to [Rise] where instead of pulling earth up, it pushes the earth back down. The bigger and more complex the shape is that needs to be pushed back down, the more mana is used. Can only push down a certain amount of earth before it stops casting.

[Douse] creates a bubble of water around the target. The bigger the target, the more mana is needed, but the bubble can only go up to a certain size before the casting stops or fails.

{Zero} is a side effect of using too much mana, it causes severe exhaustion to the afflicted and can cause them to faint in the spot if fully acquired.