Hell no!

At four health, I wasn't even going to think about facing down another one.

Not to mention the brief glance I'd gotten at my character sheet showed that I only had two Mana left.

I wasn't keeping count, but I was pretty sure that meant each Spark Lance cost about two Mana.

I backed into the changing room, the pain in my ribs screaming at me every time I moved, and made my way out the back into another hallway. From there, I managed to slip through another door and out into a back alley.

By now, the sun had just dropped below the horizon. There was still enough light to see clearly, but I didn't think there would be much daylight left.

Another three-toned scream echoed through the town.

It was answered by one from inside the bathhouse, and another from somewhere farther away.

I ducked behind a house as I saw another Fleshwood Hunter emerge from between two buildings. It scanned the street, its glowing orange eyes alert.

I held my breath, desperately trying to ignore the sharp pain in my ribs and the desperate need for air that quickly followed.

Another layered scream pierced the air.

The Fleshwood answered.

I heard its heavy footsteps recede as it lumbered away.

I dismissed the window and limped off in the opposite direction.

Normally, a tutorial would give you a healing potion or some kind of short rest to replenish your resources between fights.

I didn't have any potions, so I needed to find whatever the game's equivalent of a healing station was.

Nothing stood out.

I made my way as quickly as I could until I reached the gate.

It was closed, even though dozens of people crowded around it.

Several guards leaned against the massive doors as a heavy thud sounded from the other side.

The gathered people screamed and backed away.

“Go!” shouted one of the guards. “The northern gate is still open!”

Something large slammed into the gate again. Mortar shook loose around the enormous hinges.

People turned and ran.

I noticed the woman from the Adventurer's Guild among them.

Her eyes met mine, and she rushed over. “Come on!” she yelled, grabbing my hand and pulling.

Searing pain erupted through my ribs, but I struggled after her as best I could.

A Fleshwood Hunter emerged from the street, right where everyone else was headed. Its long arms swept through the crowd, knocking people into the air.

“This way!” the woman hissed, dragging me away from the others.

Each breath felt like a knife being driven into my chest while my muscles burned. I definitely should have put some points into Endurance. And maybe Resilience.

More smoke filled the air, wisps of it beginning to drift down the street. The tips of flames flickered just above the rooftops.

She took a hard left and dragged me into an alley.

We stopped several times, pressing ourselves against the walls while a Fleshwood Hunter lumbered past.

How many of these things were there? And why the hell were they looking for me? I sure hoped I'd find some old man soon who could explain the main quest to me.

We made it to and through the gate.

I noticed a little blinking light in the bottom-right corner of my vision, but ignored it for the moment.

The city burned behind us, and I could still hear the screams of the people trapped inside.

The woman didn't slow down until the city was out of sight.

After what felt like an hour, I finally slowed and pulled back. “Stop,” I wheezed. “I need to rest.”

She looked at me, then behind me, and finally nodded.

I slid down the trunk of a tree, wincing the entire way. My legs felt like jelly. Flaming jelly. My ribs were killing me. The pain in my head had become a fuzzy, pulsing throb that threatened to overwhelm me. As I sucked in dry, painful breaths, I finally looked at the blinking light.

Several pop-ups appeared.

That was the tutorial? I shook my head and immediately regretted it.

And this new quest. Returning to Greyhaven was optional? If that was the name of the town, fuck that.

It was twilight now, the last rays of sunlight rapidly fading.

My everything hurt, and I didn't have the energy left for anything.