So I'm a Bat, Big Deal

As Herald gazed into the garden, his eyes fell upon the statue of the colossal boar, a grotesque figure ensnared in stone. Suddenly, with a shuddering groan, it shattered its rocky confines, emerging into the moonlit night. The creature turned, its grotesquely elongated tusks catching the silvery glow, sharp and menacing. Its eyes, dark and glowing like embers in the abyss, locked onto his with an unsettling intensity. The air thickened as it opened its maw, unleashing a thunderous roar that reverberated through the clearing, a sound that clawed at their very souls, echoing the foreboding of their impending doom. With a bone-rattling crash, it charged against the barrier he had erected, splintering the shield with a single, devastating blow, leaving a jagged crack as a testament to its fury and raw power.

"Run faster we need to get further in!" said Herald as he saw that the giant boar was much stronger than he had even anticipated. 

. They dashed into the hedge maze, all of them pushing forward until they stumbled upon a pathway. I zipped past them, knowing they wouldn't bother with a tiny bat while a massive boar was crashing through their defenses. I had no desire to stick around and let it discover my presence. So, I ascended, aiming to soar over the hedge and venture deeper into the maze, but a faint glow above thwarted my plans. With that option off the table, I quickly shifted to my backup strategy: putting as much distance as possible between myself and the rampaging boar before deciding on my next move.

Upon reaching a fork in the labyrinth that forced me to choose between left and right, I extended my aura toward the hedge, attempting to make contact. The instant my aura enveloped it, the hedge lunged forward, aiming to viciously stab my head. I quickly moved aside, narrowly avoiding a cut on my ear. A drop of blood trickled down, and I felt Biter shift to my other side, eagerly consuming the blood from my ear. Startled by Biter's actions, I dropped slightly in the air. I could hear the adventurers sprinting down the other path, followed by the resonant sound of the clock chiming.

[Yay! Now we can chat!] I heard an unfamiliar childlike girl's voice in my head. [Oh right, it's me, Biter.]

"How are you talking to me?"

[I needed to drink your blood to be a real familiar, but I couldn't tell you that! So, I just had to wait for the right moment to make the contract by myself. And guess what? Your system isn't very friendly! It told me to scram and said it doesn't want to chat with silly flowers. Oh, and those hedges? They're not nice either! They said they won't pay attention to you unless you level up.]

"I've got to take down something significant and the only target in sight is that boar. The adventurers are under a spell that whisks them away to the surface, so I can't even count on gaining any experience from attacking them. I was hoping to keep them around to help tackle the dungeon levels. So here I am, faced with the task of slaying the boar, but I have to do it solo, without any backup from the hedges. Are none of them willing to help out?"

[Everyone around us thinks they might pay attention to you if you get better because, right now, they're not really wowed by what you can do.

Bane said he would answer my questions, but only if I promised not to bug him for the rest of the day. That feels a bit mean, 'cause I just wanted to be his friend! He told me that you can level up every ten levels when you go past the experience limit, and that's when you get to evolve! I can totally feel you're super close after helping to clear the first level. You got some experience points when the vines got rid of all those goblins since you were in charge! But I can't really tell what your level is right now.]

 I relaxed my aura and it to snap back to me. "Looks like they're not going to be of any assistance, so here's what we can do. I had intended to save my points for a future evolution, but priorities shift. We just need to wait for the bull to break through the barriers, then we can quietly slip by and head back to the garden."

"I choose the Leaf Snipping ability," I said.

[Well, well, if it isn't my favorite little nuisance. Can't you just take a break from bugging me? But fine, here's your exclusive ticket to the world of leaf cuttings. Go on, bask in the glory of feeling like a horticultural hero in the midst of autumn's decay. Ta...da.] 

I hid in the shadows, adrenaline pumping and every nerve in my body on edge, fully aware of my surroundings. Out of nowhere, a colossal crash erupted, followed by a thunderous roar that shook the earth beneath me. The sound of pounding footsteps filled the air, along with the Herald's powerful voice, detailing the battle plans he had devised. Just then, the boar smashed through the barrier the Herald had erected, plunging headfirst into the chaos! It crashed into the hedge maze, and I could hear it veering off into another path, pursuing the adventurers with relentless fury.

Seizing the moment, I charged toward the entrance of the hedge maze, my heart pounding with urgency. I zipped out, evading detection, knowing I had to act quickly before the opportunity slipped away. I sprinted to the flower beds, arriving just as the clock chimed again. I checked the time—eight PM. My gaze fell on the massive snake statue, its form starting to crumble.

"We need to pick up the pace!" I said, racing toward the flower beds.

Coming Next Time: Snake, Boar, and Lion