Chapter 6

  One week later.

  I looked at the makeshift shelter in front of me, then at the two human-sized golems standing beside it, their stone bodies gleaming dully in the afternoon sunlight.

  "Well," I said, wiping sweat from my forehead. "That's definitely an improvement."

  The golems didn't respond, of course. They weren't built for conversation. I'd spent two days worth of wild power charges on each of them, focusing entirely on making them perfect workers rather than fighters.

  Strong enough to lift massive logs without breaking a sweat. Tireless enough to work all day and night without needing rest. Smart enough to follow complex instructions but loyal enough that I didn't have to worry about them deciding I wasn't worth listening to.

  The shelter they'd built was now an actual structure, stone foundation, wooden walls that actually fit together properly, and a roof that can actually keep the rain out.

  I won’t get wet by the rain anymore.

  Thank god.

  "You guys are amazing," I told G1 and G2, even though I knew they probably didn't care about praise. Yeah, I wasn't exactly creative with the names, but they do the job just fine. G1 was slightly taller, G2 was a bit broader. That was pretty much the only way to tell them apart.

  The past week had been a blur of constant improvements and near-death experiences.

  My monsters had definitely made me able to bear my new life in this world, even when I was stuck in this goddamn forest. And boy, had they been put to the test. Every single day brought new horrors trying to kill us.

  There was that pack of razor-toothed rabbits that moved like tiny velociraptors. A giant centipede that spat acid and left burn marks on the trees. Some kind of shadow cat that could turn invisible until Nox managed to pin it down. And don't even get me started on the spider the size of a coffee table that had been using our area as its hunting ground.

  Fortunately, my growing team had handled everything the forest threw at us. Even G1 and G2, despite being built for construction work, turned out to be surprisingly effective in combat. Turns out when you're made of solid stone and can punch through tree trunks, most monsters think twice about fucking with you.

  Well, not actually stuck in the forest, but I'd decided to stay here for the time being and build up my strength. And speaking of strength...

  [STATUS SCREEN]

  Name: Vera Demecillo

  Race: Human/Otherworlder

  Level: 11

  Skills: Monster Maker

  All that fighting had done wonders for my level. I was sitting pretty at level 11 now, which felt like a major milestone. Each level-up made me feel stronger, faster, more confident. My body had definitely changed from when I first arrived here - I could move better, react quicker, and I didn't get winded as easily as before.

  G1 and G2 stood motionless beside the shelter, waiting for their next task. Nox was sprawled in the shade nearby. Orion had wandered off somewhere, probably scouting the perimeter or hunting down lunch.

  Another thing I discovered pretty early on was the telepathic link I shared with my monsters. It wasn't something I'd expected or even thought to look for, but one morning I'd been thinking about wanting Orion to check the eastern perimeter when he suddenly took off in that exact direction without me saying a word.

  At first, I thought it was just a coincidence. Maybe he'd picked up on some scent or sound I'd missed. But then it happened again with Nox, and again with the golems. Eventually I realized I could actually feel their presence in the back of my mind.

  The connection worked both ways too. When Orion was out hunting, I could sense his excitement when he found prey, his satisfaction when he made a clean kill. Nox's steady vigilance was like a constant warm pulse in my thoughts. Even G1 and G2, despite being made of stone, had their own distinct mental signatures - patient, methodical, completely focused on whatever task I'd given them.

  Distance didn't seem to matter either. Whether they were right next to me or miles away in the forest, that mental thread stayed strong. It was incredibly useful for coordinating when we were spread out or in case we get separated.

  Looking at my little base camp, I had to admit I'd come pretty far from that first terrifying night huddled under some tree roots. We had actual shelter now, a reliable food source, and enough firepower to handle most of what this forest could throw at us.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  My thoughts were interrupted by a piercing eagle cry from above.

  I shielded my eyes and looked up to see a massive shadow circling overhead. With a powerful whoosh of wings, the giant eagle descended and landed gracefully besides m. His wingspan had to be at least twelve feet across, and his golden-brown feathers gleamed as it caught sunlight.

  "There you are, Fei," I said to him, grinning at my newest creation.

  I'd made him just this morning using one day's worth of wild power. Honestly, I was getting sick of being stuck in this forest with no idea what was out there.

  I ruffled his feathers and as he let out a few sharp cries, his eyes bright as he bobbed his head toward the northwest.

  "Find something good?"

  He gave a quick nod.

  I grinned.

  "What do you say, big guy? Want to give me a ride?"

  Fei let out an enthusiastic cry and spread his wings wider, lowering himself.

  "Alright, boys," I called to my other monsters. "I'm going on a little scouting trip. G1, G2, keep working on the shelter. Nox, you're in charge of security. And when Orion gets back, tell him to keep an eye on the perimeter."

  G1 and G2 gave their usual silent nods, already moving back to their construction work. Nox lifted his massive head and rumbled acknowledgment, though I detected a bit of concern on his movements.

  "Don't worry," I told him with a grin. "I'll be back before dinner."

  I climbed up over Fei's back. His feathers were surprisingly warm and soft, and I could feel the incredible strength in his muscles as he adjusted to my weight.

  I settled into position on Fei's back, gripping his feathers carefully. The moment I was secure, he launched himself into the air with a powerful downward thrust of his wings.

  "Holy shit!" The words tore from my throat as we shot upward like a rocket. My stomach dropped somewhere around my ankles, and I had to fight every instinct screaming at me to let go and grab onto something more solid than bird feathers.

  The ground fell away beneath us at an alarming rate. Our camp, which had felt like a decent-sized clearing, suddenly looked like a tiny dot surrounded by an endless sea of green. The massive trees that had towered over me for the past week were reduced to matchsticks, and I could see the stream winding through the forest like a silver ribbon.

  As we climbed higher, the view became absolutely incredible. The forest stretched out in every direction, broken up by rivers, clearings, and what looked like ruins scattered throughout. To the north, I could see mountains rising up like jagged teeth against the sky. To the east, the trees gradually gave way to what might have been grasslands or plains.

  But what really caught my attention was what Fei had spotted to the northwest. Rising above the canopy like something out of a fairy tale was an honest-to-god medieval town.

  The town looked like maybe a day's journey on foot, two at most but only a few minutes with Fei.. From up here, I could see a road leading from the town that disappeared into the forest, probably the same route I'd need to take to get there.

  People. Actual human beings who could tell me where the hell I was and what was going on in this world. Maybe they'd even have maps, or know about other towns and cities. The thought of sleeping in an actual bed again, eating food that didn't require me to skin it first.

  But looking down at that distant settlement, I felt a familiar knot of anxiety forming in my stomach. People meant social interaction.

  Questions about where I came from, what I was doing here, why I had a pack of monsters following me around. I'd gotten comfortable in my little forest camp, where the only beings I had to talk to were creatures that couldn't judge me or expect me to be something I wasn't.

  What was I supposed to say when someone asked who I was? Hi, I'm Vera, I'm from another world and I can create monsters with my mind? Yeah, that would go over real well.

  I shook my head.

  One problem at a time.

  First, I needed to get a better look at the place. Figure out if it was even safe to approach.

  Fei seemed to read my thoughts, angling us in a wide circle around the town. From this height, I could make out people moving through the streets, tiny ant-like figures going about their daily business. There were fields surrounding the town where farmers worked the land, and I could see smoke rising from chimneys.

  It looked peaceful enough. Normal, even. Just a regular medieval-looking town doing regular medieval-looking things.

  As we completed our circle, Fei tilted his head and let out a questioning cry. Time to head back?

  "Yeah," I said, giving his neck a gentle pat. "Let's go home. I've seen enough for now."

  The flight back to camp gave me time to think.

  That town represented everything I thought I wanted - answers, safety, maybe even a chance to find other people who'd been transported here like me. But it also meant leaving behind the little world I'd built for myself.

  Here in the forest, I was in control. I had my monsters, my shelter, my routine.

  But I couldn't stay here forever. Eventually, I'd need supplies I couldn't make or find in the forest. Information about this world that only other people could provide. And if I was being completely honest with myself, I was getting lonely...

  Fei's landing was much gentler than his takeoff, settling down in our clearing with barely a bump. I slid off his back, legs a bit shaky from the flight.

  "Thanks for the ride, Fei," I said, scratching under his chin.

  Nox trotted over immediately, sniffing me all over. Orion emerged from the trees where he'd apparently been waiting for my return, his tail wagging when he spotted me.

  "Yeah, I'm fine," I assured them both.

  G1 and G2 had continued their work while I was gone, adding what looked like the beginnings of a second room to our shelter. Efficient as always.

  I settled down by the fire, my mind racing with possibilities and plans. The castle was there, waiting. The question was whether I was ready to take that next step.