ã€ŠForsaken Core: Awakeningã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Kantan gasped as he fell to his back in the sand pit of the training yard, his balance being stolen out from under him. He had put too much weight onto his front foot and his grandfather was quick to capitalize on his mistake. It was not the first time that he had found himself forcibly watching the clouds from the training yard ground, and he could feel his competitive spirit rustle as he was bested once again. His breath was coming rapidly, while his grandfather stood above him with a maniacal grin and his hand out.

    ¡°You know not to rely on your front foot! You must really like cleaning sand out of your clothes with how much time you spend rolling in it.¡± his grandfather let a chuckle out, only building Kantan¡¯s frustration higher. In an attempt to trick him, Kantan took the proffered hand and tried to twist it over his shoulder to take the old man down. Instead of feeling the weight of the man resisting him, it felt like his grandfather weighed nothing as he rotated.

    As he moved to finish the throw, he felt the hand shift rapidly without letting go. Kantan¡¯s stomach did a flip as he found himself rotating at a dizzying speed. Once again he tumbled through the sand, this time landing a few feet away. Sand filled his mouth, making him sputter while his grandfather released a amused laugh. ¡°That was good, but you have got to be faster than that!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to be faster than you when I don¡¯t have chi. You¡¯re basically cheating!¡± Kantan pushed himself up to a standing position, wiping sand from his hands and face.

    ¡°The demons you will face in your trial will be able to utilize chi, so you will need to know how to handle yourself against someone with more speed and strength than you.¡± His grandfather was insistent on training Kantan for the upcoming trial, which would pit him against the demons in the clan dungeon. ¡°While they won¡¯t be as strong or as fast as I am, they will still be stronger and faster than you. Tell me what we do when we face a threat we cannot defeat by strength and agility alone.¡±

    Kantan rolled his eyes and repeated the lesson his grandfather had been ingraining in him since he was a child. ¡°We outsmart them.¡±He moved toward the inner part of the ring, resetting to his defensive fighting stance, the first step to fighting an opponent of greater strength.

    ¡°Good. A defensive stance gives you time to seek out weakness, and ensure you live long enough to act upon it once you find it.¡± His grandfather moved into a neutral stance to keep his intentions hidden. Kantan almost moved into an aggressive stance to begin his assault anew when he waited. His grandfather was the one who wanted to train him, while he thought that he was ready. He was two ranks below his grandfather, who was at the sapphire soul rank. While maintaining his stance, Kantan began to edge away from his grandfather. This caused the old man to narrow his eyes, and a small smile to crease his lips.

    ¡°A smart cultivator takes risks in his quest for immortality, while a wise cultivator knows when to retreat in the face of overwhelming odds.¡± His grandfather took on an offensive stance and pressed forward toward Kantan. The old man blurred from existence for a moment before reappearing in front of Kantan with his finger and thumb an inch away from his grandson¡¯s head. Before he could react, Kantan felt the light tap on his forehead. ¡°You will do well in the trial, I know it to be so.¡±

    ¡°Not if they move like you do, I couldn¡¯t even see you that time.¡± Kantan shook his head while rubbing playfully at his forehead. He could feel his nerves bunching up despite his outward bravado. While it was called a trial, the main goal of going into the clan dungeon was to awaken one¡¯s Chi. Kantan was considered unranked currently as his core contained chi, but it was never used or replaced. By going into the Astaire clan dungeon, he would expose himself to a very high density of chi for an extended period of time. If he was destined to become a Soul Warrior in this life, he would find out in a weeks time when he entered that dungeon.

    ¡°While they will be swift and strong, they are not unbeatable. Demons do not tend to plan or think out their actions. As far as their species go, only incredibly powerful demons are found to have sentience. The demons in our dungeon are kept in check by our clans warriors. You should be capable of dealing with anything you find in there as long as you keep a level head.¡± Kantan still felt some of his nervousness in his stomach, but a sense of determination solidified in his mind. He had trained for a large portion of his life to complete this trial and his grandfather was the wisest person he knew. If the old man believed in him, then he owed to the man who had trained him to believe in himself.

    Kantan felt his stomach rumble ominously, reminding him that with exercise came ravenous hunger. Taking a moment to face his grandfather directly, he bowed deeply in gratitude. As each of them stepped out of the training field, each turned and bowed deeply once again in thanks to the land. ¡°Let¡¯s go home and make some dinner, you will have a busy week with the clan pretrial training.¡±

    ¡°You took the words from my mouth before I could speak them.¡± Kantan spoke playfully.

    ¡°With that loud stomach of your¡¯s I¡¯m sure the whole village knows you¡¯re hungry.¡± His grand father retorted with a sly smile on his face. Kantan chuckled lightly while feeling the last of his anxiety fade from his mind.

    <hr>

    Soft light crested over Kantan¡¯s sleep crusted eyes as the morning sun began its trek through the sky. Sleep fled from his consciousness with the sun¡¯s arrival, and he slowly arose and began his morning routine. He had spent the past five days training with his grandfather and studying up on soul theory in order to prepare for the trial tomorrow. Kantan cleaned himself in a bath of water his grandfather had prepared in their bathroom, the water luke warm and foaming with soap.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The weight of what it would mean to become a Soul Warrior had set in on his shoulders. If he was able to awaken his core tomorrow, he would be considered a valuable member of the clan. A home would be given to him to cultivate in and he would have to leave his grandfather¡¯s comfortable residence. Kantan felt a bit of dread when it came to the thought of being on his own, especially since he had been with his grandfather for as long as he could remember.

    As far as he knew, his parents had both been Soul Warriors who hunted demon beasts for the clan. Since their clan was the only one with a demonic affinity dungeon, they had been breeding warriors to hunt beasts tinged with demonic essence. Demonic beasts are spirit beasts that have been infected with demonic Chi which was toxic to Soul Warriors. Kantan and others of his clan had grown a resistance to the tainted Chi over generations of exposure, which made them perfect as demon hunters.

    He had spent most of his life learning the inner workings and classifications of different demons and demonic beasts, so he felt prepared intellectually to fight them. The problem with demonic beasts though is that most are crazed irrational creatures that attack without caution. This made them hard to predict and surviving a demon beast attack required quick feet and even quicker thoughts. His grandfather had been training him to fight against an opponent that could use Chi to better prepare him, but he was nervous that he wouldn¡¯t be able to adapt in time.

    Realizing that he had spent enough time in the bath for it to get cold, Kantan quickly got out and dried himself. He finished grooming himself before making his way out into the main area of his grandfather¡¯s home. Moving to the far wall he took a kneeling position in front of the small shrine that housed a few small possessions that had been recovered after his parents deaths. After a few moments of silence, he bowed slightly and returned to his feet. As he turned to head toward the kitchen, he jumped in surprise to see his grandfather just behind him with a sorrowful expression on his face.

    ¡°I am sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to startle you. It hit me that this is likely one of the last times I will see you paying respects like this.¡± His grandfather let out a shuddering sigh before his lips turned up into a tight smile that his eyes echoed. ¡°While it saddens me to know you will be leaving soon, I am also reminded of how proud I am to see you striving toward success.¡± Kantan felt his heart twist at the sight of his grandfather getting sentimental, tears threatening the corner¡¯s of his eyes.

    Refusing to cry, Kantan sniffled and put on a winning smile. ¡°If you think you can get rid of me that easy, you got another thing coming old man. How else am I supposed to clean myself if no-one will prepare such amazing baths in the morning?¡±

    ¡°Oh I would hope I raised you well enough to maintain basic hygiene. No woman is going to want you if you smell like the back end of a pig now are they?¡± His grandfather chuckled and grew serious for a moment. ¡°Your parents would be nothing but proud of you, I¡¯m sure they wish they could be down here with us in more than just spirit.¡±

    The drying tear in the corner of his eye quickly refilled itself and threatened to spill over at the mention of his parents. He could never explain it fully, but whenever he thought of them, there was an intense longing that flared up in the center of his chest. It seemed to tug on his very being that he could not be with them. With a sniffle and a quick rub of his eyes, Kantan nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure they do.¡± He put on a strained smile, refusing to let the sorrow take hold of him on his last day as a normal man. ¡°With all that said, I should get going. I am meeting up with Lyra at the school for our trial teaching.¡±

    He checked the light outside and his eyes grew wide, ¡°Oh no, I am running behind. I have to go or I¡¯ll be even later.¡± Kantan dashed around the room, snagging his bag and an apple before stopping in front of his grandfather. ¡°I love you old man.¡± He bowed deeply, before dashing out of the house in the direction of the school.

    Kantan ran along the worn dirt path toward the inner section of his clan¡¯s town at a brisk pace, not wanting to tire himself out too much before he got to the clan¡¯s school building. As he ran by of the local animal pens he threw what remained of his apple into their feeding trough, earning a snort from the beast. He had passed the Faerin farm on his way to school every day as he grew up, making his feeding of the pigs there a routine. ¡°Can¡¯t stay to chat boys and girls, got a test to prep for.¡± Despite the pigs¡¯ nonchalance toward him, a wide smile crept along his lips as he continued his run to school.

    He arrived just in time to see everyone grabbing their seats on the small mats spread across the classroom. The school was essentially one large room that took up the whole building and had no walls. Its roof had a pointed center with sweeping edges casting shade onto the floor underneath it. Lyra sat upon the stone stairs leading up to the raised stone floor of the school, holding her hair against the Autumn breeze.

    Kantan felt a moment of anxiety at the sight of her, and his heart rate rose against his chest rapidly. Without meaning to he found himself standing still at the end of the block and staring, her beauty seeming stop narrow the world around him. Her soft auburn hair was shown with brilliance against the early morning light. He realized that he had stopped when she noticed him and flashed him her trademark smile.

    It was the kinda smile that drew you in and electrified you, at least that is what he imagined happened to everyone she smiled at. He shook his head slightly and resumed his jog toward the school.

    ¡°If you had stood there any longer we would have been late. Come on!¡± Lyra grabbed his hand as he reached her and pulled him up the steps. His skin tingled at her touch, but he managed to keep his head. They each found their seats and got into the Astaire cultivation position. Thankfully Kantan noticed a few other students running down the path and took a moment to calm his nerves. He moved through the cultivation exercises his clan used, but could only imagine the flow of Chi for the time being.

    Closing his eyes, Kantan took a deep breath and began to slowly let it out over the course of a few seconds. He repeated this a few times while imagining a flowing force coursing throughout his body, visualizing the process he had been shown on the clan¡¯s diagrams. Slowly but surely his heart rate crept to a slow and steady pace, only to be brought out of his meditation by a stern cough from the instructor. Kantan opened his eyes and trained them on his teacher for the day. A serene focus blanketed him as who he recognized as Elder Zho began to speak.

    ¡°Today is perhaps the last day of your mortal lives.¡± Zho wore a refined air, his age showing not in his features but in how he carried himself. Soul Warriors could become potentially immortal with a high enough cultivation rank. Zho had reached the Sapphire rank, the second rank one could achieve after awakening their cores. This made him one of the most powerful Soul warriors the clan had, only the head elder bearing a high sapphire cultivation rank. ¡°Tomorrow, if you are worthy of it, you will be reborn a proud warrior of the Astaire clan.¡±

 Chapter 2

    ¡°The Awakening trial consists of two separate parts: the awakening of one¡¯s core and determining your affinity.¡± Zho continued to pace in a horizontal line in front of the class. Kantan glanced at Lyra and wondered what affinity she would end up with. Each person had an innate affinity that their chi would be the most effective with. A fire affinity did not mean that you were required to develop a fire core, it simply meant that you would be more powerful with one. Conversely, that same fire user would find manipulating and cultivating a water core very difficult.

    ¡°The first part of the challenge will require you to fight in the clan dungeon. Only once you have reached your limit will you have the chance to awaken your Chi.¡± Zho came to a stop and eyed the class with a raised eyebrow. ¡°The demons within the dungeon are powerful, but manageable for the average human. As long as you stay on the first floor you should be able to handle any threat the dungeon throws at you.¡± Kantan felt a small ball of fear settle heavily in his stomach as he processed the information.

    Each year multiple groups of students and clan potentials entered the dungeon in an attempt to collect power and wealth. Each year there were clan members who would not return, consumed by the dungeon for their failure. Kantan shook his head slightly to rid himself of the nerves, falling back on the cultivation technique to balance himself. ¡°Anything you recover when you exit your trial is your¡¯s to keep, though any subsequent dungeon runs will be taxed by the clan.¡±

    A student¡¯s hand went up, and elder Zho stopped with a slightly annoyed expression. ¡°Yes, you may speak.¡±

    ¡°If we awaken our cores, would be able to continue to the second floor?¡± the student was tall and lanky, sporting chestnut brown hair in a messy mop atop his head. Kantan didn¡¯t recognize him aside from the occasional classes he had seen him in over the years. The clan was small compared to the rest of the clans in the kingdom, but it was still much larger than the average town. There were quite a few people Kantan was sure he¡¯d never consciously seen before that were taking the same classes as him.

    Zho scoffed slightly in response to, ¡°If you progress to the second floor, you will surely perish. Core or not.¡± the student looked down in embarrassment, prompting the teacher to continue. ¡°The second floor will require you to have invested chi into your body to survive, the likes of which you will not be able to complete while enshrouded in demonic essence. Do not forget that having a core does not make you invincible, if anything it will make you more vulnerable in the dungeon.¡± Kantan nodded at that information.

    Chi was a powerful tool, but it had its drawbacks as well. While you had Chi, you were faster, stronger, and more durable than the average person without a core. When you ran out of Chi though, you would find the after effects of chi usage leaving you fragile. His grandfather¡¯s words replayed in his head, reminding him to run if it meant survival.

    ¡°In order to aid you in your trail though, we are giving each of you a special talisman.¡± The instructor raised a thick slab of ornate papers from within his robes, each runed with expert calligraphy. ¡°Should you find yourself on death¡¯s door, or unable to awaken your core, simply remove this from your person and you will be removed from the dungeon and receive immediate medical assistance based on your clan standing. The only other exit from the dungeon is to complete the floor and find the exit portal.¡±

    Kantan felt a wave of relief at hearing that he had a way out that wasn¡¯t through the floor boss. Ensuring that he could make it out alive as long as he maintained awareness of his condition throughout the trial. With a backup escape in place, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of excitement creep into him. This would be his chance to prove that all of his training wasn¡¯t worthless. With a glance at Lyra, he could see that she wore an intense expression of focus. As if sensing his gaze she turned to him and grinned a full competitive smile. He could tell right then that the first one to awaken their core and make it out would be the victor between them.

    Lyra had always been competitive, whether it meant running to their next destination or training in the sand pits, she wanted to win. It was part of what drew Kantan toward her like a moth to the flame. She pushed him to grow and adapt while making it seem effortless at the same time. If anyone had a guaranteed chance at awakening their core, Kantan knew it would be her. Tension shot through his neck as his nerves screamed at him that he was in danger. His instincts drew him to look toward elder Zho, who was staring at him with an intense gaze.

    An invisible pressure pushed down on his shoulders as his teacher spoke. ¡°I would hope that the information I am giving you is interesting enough to warrant your attention young Korellion. Ensure you do not disappoint me.¡± As quick as it had appeared the pressure vanished, causing him to sit up right faster than he intended to. Zho¡¯s aura had pushed him almost into a bow under the intense weight. Kantan felt a surge of frustration course through him, but he clamped down on it. Getting angry at a clan elder would not help the situation.

    ¡°Sorry elder.¡± Kantan bowed intentionally this, hoping that Zho would drop the matter.

    Elder Zho sniffed and raised his head, ¡°Good, now where was I? Oh right, the trial. After you have awakened your core, you are expected to clear the floor and exit without the use of your talisman. Doing so will ensure your place as a Soul Warrior in our clan.¡± Coming to in front of the center row, Zho clapped his hands once. ¡°Now that I have informed you of the requirements, we will discuss common demonic beasts found within the first floor of the dungeon.¡±

    <hr>

    At the end of class Kantan found himself at the butt end of a quarterstaff, his last sparing partner standing over him. The bell rang signalling the end of class today, and coincidentally the final sparring session. His opponent, average in height and build had the distinct advantage of range over his own hand to hand fighting style. It had been almost impossible to get into his opponents range, as the quarterstaff allowed for quick rotating strikes while leveraging the length of the staff to increase its damage. He knew he would have more than a few bruises, but his grandfather would help him recover.

    Kantan nodded to his opponent, and sat up with heavy breath. Lyra made her way over to him, her two wooden short swords in hand. She had taken up a dual weapon fighting style, which fit her competitive personality. ¡°I see you did well, not a scratch on you!¡± He laughed, and then regretted it as his side had received more than one hit in that last fight. ¡°That last guy sure knew how to twirl a stick, it hurts to breath.¡±

    Lyra giggled warmly before freeing up her hand and extending it to him. ¡°Well maybe if you knew what you were doing you could have prevented a couple of those bruises.¡± He accepted the help up to his feet and came face to face with her. Her eyes were dilated with adrenaline and she was breathing slightly heavy. Somehow she made even fatigue look enthralling, and he could tell they both reeked of sweat.

    ¡°I guess your right about that, though I¡¯m not sure how im supposed to close the gap on a ranged opponent. Each time I closed in on him the other side of the staff would clip me faster than I could react.¡± He scratched at his head, trying to analyze his shortcomings in the fight.

    Lyra interrupted his thoughts before he could get to far into them though, ¡°Don¡¯t go getting all broody on me Kantan, especially since I have something to show you.¡± Kantan looked to her, seeing playful eyes beaming back at him.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Oh? What would that be?¡± He watched her skeptically, remembering the last time she had shown him something. A small shudder ran through him as the memory of running from a herd of angry pig beasts was brought back to the forefront of his mind. ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to tick off any spirit beasts tonight.¡±

    She waved her hand dismissively, ¡°Oh its nothing like that. Go home and clean up, then meet me at the northern edge of town. Trust me it¡¯ll be fun! Oh, you should bring food too, we may be a while.¡±

    Kantan¡¯s eyebrows shot up with the rise in his curiosity, ¡°Gone awhile eh? I hope you''re not trying to abduct me.¡± He joked, but began walking down the steps of the school.

    Lyra turned to him and winked playfully, ¡°As if that was the worst thing that could happen to you. If not you then maybe I¡¯ll kidnap one of those suitors my father is always trying to set me up with.¡± She turned with feigned deference, before giggling at him.

    He couldn¡¯t help the slight flutter of his heart at the thought of her being set up with some random suitor. ¡°Is he still trying to marry you off? I thought you had told him off about it.¡±

    She sighed in frustration, ¡°I did, and what do I find when I come home a few evenings ago but some stone core in the clan militia with a minor relation to one of the clan¡¯s elders.¡± She threw up her hands, her voice gaining in volume. ¡°My father told me that it would be some great ¡®honor¡¯ to marry someone who was solidly in the stone core stage. As if that was the only thing that mattered.¡±

    Kantan winced slightly at the mention of her attempted suitors was a stone soul, the second stage of Cultivation. Awakening your core put you in the first base rank, granting you increased speed, durability, and strength. This made you stronger than any unawoken person you encountered, as long as you had the Chi to spare. As soon as you ran out of Chi you were essentially a normal person.

    Reaching Stone soul would reforge your body with the power of your soul, giving you the permanent benefits of Chi empowered physical traits. It was at this point that you would train to utilize your Chi externally in the use of special abilities and attacks. If the men her father was attempting to wed her to were already Stone Souls than he would have no chance to court her himself.

    Lyra seemed to notice the change in his demeanor, her voice becoming bubbly as she jumped around him. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, I told my father off and sent the man packing. If anyone is going to choose who I marry it will be me when I¡¯m good and ready.¡± Kantan felt his mood improve some, and was about to speak when she stopped at a fork in the road. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to bring some food, or we¡¯ll both be going hungry.¡± She flashed her trademark smile at him, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want a lady to go hungry would you?¡±

    Kantan was left with red cheeks as she quickly twirled and began walking down the left pathway. He wanted to respond with something cool, but found his stomach fluttering and couldn¡¯t think of anything witty. She always did know how to make an exit. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he turned and patted his cheeks in determination. With that he began to walk back down the pathway toward his grandfather¡¯s house.

    <hr>

    The walk back was peaceful, the sound of the town alive with activity with the upcoming trial. There was always a large celebration for those who survived the trial and managed to awaken their cores. They were give spirit beast meat and Chi infused drinks to give them a large boost to their starting reserves. Each new Soul Warrior was expected to serve the clan and continue to delve deeper into the dungeon to collect resources. Then after a time they would rotate with the border warriors who ensured no other clans mounted an attack against them.

    People were bustling from building to building with decorations and food to be prepared. It was a warming atmosphere to have everyone working together for a change, as compared to the rest of the year when each cultivator was focused on their own improvement. With each soul rank they achieved, not only did they grow stronger but they lived longer as well. This was incentive enough for most to strive toward the higher soul ranks, though some did so simply because there was no better way to increase one¡¯s standing and finances.

    As Kantan neared the outer parts of the town the activity died down as did the traffic, giving him some needed quiet. As much as he could appreciate the atmosphere of the town, he was not an overly social creature to begin with and the intensity of it all got to him more than he liked. While he walked toward his grandfather¡¯s house he focused on his breathing, imagining the Chi he hoped to awaken flowing in to him with each breath. The Astaire clan cultivation method was reportedly one of the easier to perform, focusing on condensing as much power as possible, instead of winding it through unique patterns to increase its complexity.

    When it came to the different ways to cultivate Chi Kantan struggled to fully comprehend the difference when he couldn¡¯t manipulate the energy himself. His grandfather had told him to imagine Chi complexity as the pattern you maintained your chi in. The higher a person¡¯s complexity, the more Chi they would be able to store at the higher ranks. By putting Chi into specific patterns called weaves allows you to store it much tighter without having to maintain it as frequently. The Astaire style of cultivation simply attempted to amass as much Chi into their core pushing instead to widen their reserves instead of condensing.

    His grandfather had made the comparison with Ice, showing that a bucket full of ice had gaps and pockets of air. It worked, but it was not efficient and would leave gaps in his strength.When the ice in the bucket finally melted, it was less than half full. Weaved Chi was compared to water, filling the space it was given completely. The difference was also clear in how one utilized the Chi within them. When His grandfather attempted to pour the ice out of the bucket, it would stick as it melted and form clumps. Chi wanted to be weaved, and left alone would form patterns. This was true of Chi that was cultivated as well, but without concentrated effort it was slow and constantly replaced. Soul Warriors without weaved Chi would often use much more of their energy with each movement and strike than they needed to. He than had Kantan pour just a glass of water from the bucket, which was significantly easier, and he only spilled a little.

    <hr>

    After cleaning up and packing a quick bag of food Kantan payed his respects to his parents shrine before heading back out toward the town. His grandfather had been out attending to something, likely a form of training, so he had gotten ready in record time. He was often distracted while his grandfather as around, constantly stopping to talk and banter. If he didn¡¯t enjoy their conversations so much he may have been annoyed at how often it made him late.

    The road was relatively bare, as he only passed one cart heading out to one of the farms on his way into town. The sun was beginning to descend in the sky, signalling the beginning of evening. His stomach rumbled, reminding him to hurry to the northern side of town so he could eat the food he had prepared. Kantan fingered the string tying the bag closed in anticipation, though he kept his stomach at bay as he jogged the side streets and alleyways of the inner town.

    Having lived his life here he could find his way to just about anywhere in the city relatively quickly. Since Lyra lived toward the northern side of town he knew the route better than others, having come to play with her as children frequently. As he thought back on their playing the curiosity of where they were going began to draw on him. His legs moved on automatic, weaving between the back roads with practice efficiency. Kantan traveled for a few minutes this way until he bumped into a wall of flesh, knocking him to the ground in surprise.

    The impact surprised him more than hurt, knocking him to the ground. Kantan rubbed his behind absently as he climbed to his feet. ¡°Sorry about that, I should have been paying more attention.¡± He chuckled as he looked up to the person he had ran into. The man was tall and thick with muscle, sporting a clean shaven face and short cropped hair. Kantan took a few steps back as he noticed the man¡¯s face, a shade of red that made him uncomfortable. A subtle but definite pressure began to push on Kantan, making the hair on his neck and arms raise.

    Then man was wearing a set of the clan¡¯s militia leather, marking him as a border warrior. ¡°Yeah you should have.¡± The man¡¯s fingers were curling into a fist and relaxing repeatedly., setting Kantan on edge.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I have inconvenienced you Senior, I shall pay closer attention to my surroundings in the future.¡± Kantan bowed respectfully and collected his food sack, wanting to disengage from the situation entirely. He began to walk around the warrior, but a firm hand grasped his shoulder. His momentum was immediately halted and the man¡¯s hands were like a vice. A feeling of dread began to creep into him as the force increased.

    ¡°Did I say you could leave, Unawoken?¡±

 Chapter 3

    A surge of adrenaline coursed through Kantan at the Soul Warrior¡¯s words, sweat beginning to form on his palms. The man¡¯s grip felt like it was breaking skin with the sheer amount of force. With a jerk of his arm Kantan felt himself spin awkwardly, tripping over his feet into the wall of the alleyway. He managed to catch himself and prevent a fall to the ground, but the sudden motion left him unbalanced.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what she sees in someone as unimportant as you.¡± The pressure of the man¡¯s aura flared, the weight of it trying to crush Kantan into the ground. Suddenly Kantan felt himself jerk upwards into the air, the pain following a moment later as his body processed what had happened to him. As Kantan had moved to right himself the warrior¡¯s foot connected with his stomach, forcing all of the air out of his lungs. He landed hard and awkward, feeling his wrist twist sharply under his own weight.

    Pain flared up in his wrist and stomach, each different in their own right. His wrist bore the sharp and pulsing pain of a broken bone, while his stomach pulsed with a deep dull throb. Kantan tried to collect himself but his instincts were screaming at him while adrenaline pumped into his veins. He tried to get a breath in but his diaphragm refused to cooperate with him, flaring panic in his mind.

    ¡°Oh well,¡± the man sighed with simple resignation. Kantan could see the wry smirk plastered on the warrior¡¯s face. ¡°you won¡¯t be much of an obstacle if you can¡¯t awaken your core. Once Lyra sees that you wont amount to anything she¡¯ll come to understand that we are meant to be together.¡± Kantan screamed internally, trying to get his body to listen to him. This must have been the man Lyra turned down recently, the one who was at the Stone Soul. Kantan racked his brain for a solution on how to escape, if he could find another town guard he could get help.

    This was not an enemy he could handle, his grandfather¡¯s words resounding in his head. ¡°A smart cultivator takes risks in his quest for immortality, while a wise cultivator knows when to retreat in the face of overwhelming odds.¡± Kantan began to crawl away from the man, using his uninjured arm to inch his way away. He only made it a foot or two toward the main road before a chuckle escaped from his assailant that accompanied another pulse of Chi. Kantan was pushed into the ground unable to lift his head against the pressure.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry this will only hurt for a moment, maybe. You see the neat thing about unawoken are that they do have cores, dormant though they may be. The trials expose you to an abundance of Chi and danger, forcing you to draw on your core to survive.¡± The warrior placed a foot on Kantan¡¯s back, the pressure disappearing. ¡°With the right application of a significant amount of Chi, you can shatter another person¡¯s core entirely.¡±

    Kantan began to claw at the ground, trying to get out from under the warrior¡¯s boot, but he stood no chance. At the stone soul rank, all of his strength was super human with all of his chi to spare. After a moment of struggling the pressure on his back promptly vanished, only to be replaced by a hand around the back of his neck. He was lifted off the ground as if he weighed nothing to the man, and shoved against the alley wall facing his assailant.

    ¡°Why are you doing this!¡± Kantan forced his words out through clenched teeth, his windpipe partially crushed against the man¡¯s grip. ¡°Lyra and I are not together, shes never even expressed interest in me.¡± His vision was starting to dim slightly, the lack of oxygen getting to him. He kicked at the warrior weakly, lacking any leverage to land a solid blow. Each kick failed to even move the man, his empowered form giving no ground to Kantan¡¯s attacks.

    ¡°You may not be together now, but you represent the largest threat to my marrying her. Once she hears that I saw you enter the dungeon early instead of going to meet her tonight, I am sure she will forget about you.¡±Dread sank into Kantan like iron in water his efforts to struggle increasing despite the encroaching darkness in his consciousness. ¡°That said, I can¡¯t have you awakening that core of your¡¯s and surviving the dungeon. If she found out what I did here, I would lose her completely.¡±

    The assailants fingers clamped down completely, cutting off all of Kantan¡¯s air supply. With a swift movement that he struggled to process, the warrior slammed his open palm against Kantan¡¯s upper stomach. Searing fire coursed through every part of his body, the pain consuming every thought in his mind. He could vaguely recognized his body violently thrashing against the warrior¡¯s grip, but he couldn¡¯t scream with his windpipe blocked as it was. The fire lasted for what felt like eternity before the lack of oxygen and the pain forced the dark blanket of unconsciousness over him.

    <hr>

    Something jostled him causing pain to flare up in his chest. Kantan tried to open his eyes only to find himself being carried, his arms and legs feeling like they were made of iron. He tried to free himself, but his body wouldn¡¯t react to his commands. Soon again the pain flared up throughout his body and he fell back into the folds of unconsciousness.

    <hr>

    An odd sensation of falling brought alertness to Kantan through the dulled slumber, quickly to be replaced with pain in his head and wrist. He blearily opened his eyes to a darkened stone room, oddly bright without any lights present. Slowly rolling over, taking care to not utilize his left arm. Just the movement of righting himself made all of his nerves fire intense signals of pain, no part of his body exempt from the burning sensation. It took a few moments of stop and go movement before he sat back against the cave all, sweat beating down his forehead.

    His whole body was on fire from the inside, each small movement agitating a wound he couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Stay awake Kantan, if you fall asleep again you may not wake up.¡± Speaking the words was painful, but he had always found talking to himself comforting when his anxiety spiked. Seeing that he was at least stable, and that he didn¡¯t have any immediately life threatening injuries, he took a moment to analyze his surroundings.

    The room that he was in was a decent size stone dome with a single exit to his right. He noted that the stone was smooth and seamless, as if it were magically hallowed out instead of built. The floor was entirely flat and connected with the wall as one piece of stone. A shrill cry emanated from the hallway connected to the room, its pitch both deep and ear piercingly high.

    Kantan¡¯s heart began to beat rapidly, his instincts screaming at him that danger was approaching. A surge of adrenaline dulled the pain within him as he moved unsteadily into the fighting stance his grandfather had taught him. He kept his left hand close to his body, turning so that his right side faced the hallway. It would keep his injuries from getting in the way and limit his profile in the case that the demon had a ranged attack.

    An agonizing amount of time later the demon rounded the corner at the end of the hall. It was a slug like creature that seemed to be made of skin that undulated slowly to move. He immediately recognized it as an Erthi, the weakest of all demons. Each demon started as an Erthi, evolving into another type of demon as it obtained more Chi. The demon was incredibly slow, but was deceptively strong.

    He could see that this one was likely the size of his shin, meaning that it was not close to evolution currently. Erthi would double in size before they evolved into their more deadly brethren. As the creature locked its eyes onto him, it began to pulse faster, increasing its speed noticeably. Kantan could see dark pulses shimmer from the demon¡¯s head to its tail, indicating that it was using Chi to speed itself up. Kantan wracked his brain for information on how he was supposed to fight the Erthi, the adrenaline making it hard to concentrate. The room was about 15 feet in diameter, giving him ample space to move around, even if he had to fight.

    Just as the demon crested the entryway of the domed room an idea struck Kantan. If he could move faster than the demon, he could circle the room until it ran out of Chi. A memory flitted past his consciousness, his days in school reminding him of the weakness of the Erthi.

    Zho always spoke in a matter of fact manner, his attempt at teaching more akin to reciting long since memorized information. Kantan had always wondered why the elder bothered teaching if he was so dispassionate about it. ¡°Erthi are incredibly slow bottom feeders in the demon hierarchy. They primarily focus on collecting ambient Chi in the hopes of undergoing demonic metamorphosis. Erthi transform into one of multiple base forms dependent on the primary Chi types they absorb. Their intelligence is almost non-existent and they typically chase after weak prey recklessly, so it is best to bide your time and control your surroundings.¡±

    ¡°Their ability to store Chi is lackluster compared to a human at the base rank of cultivation, but they require far less in order to achieve their next form. Should you encounter one, it is best to draw the fight out if you are not able to slay it outright. The Erthi¡¯s meager reserves burn up quickly, leaving them primarily defenseless for a small period of time. With Chi they are able to manipulate any part of their bodies to attack, without Chi, they are completely unable to move. They are akin to a chrysalis in nature.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Kantan steadily began to back up into the far side of the dome, his legs beginning to grow more stable as he adjusted to the adrenaline and fatigue. He had a clear goal, outlast the Erthi until it ran out of Chi, and then take it out while it grew dormant. It wasn¡¯t a brave way of fighting, but it was what would keep him alive. The creature had increased its speed, but it still moved at Kantan¡¯s walking pace, making him wonder how these things ever managed to evolve to a higher form in the first place.

    Slowly he began to work his way along the wall of the dome, checking the hallway as he passed it to ensure that he was not going to be surprised. He continued around the dome for three full cycles before the creature wailed pitifully and crawled to a stop. Kantan released a breath he didn¡¯t know he had been holding before relaxing slightly. Bracing himself once again he moved toward the Erthi and prepared to stomp his foot down on the demon. As soon as he raised his foot a pulse of black Chi pulsed down the Erthi and it launched itself at the leg he was standing on. The speed of it and the mass it carried pushed him to the ground, the demonic slug biting down onto his thigh.

    Kantan screamed in pain as the teeth penetrated his skin, only his training keeping him in control. With a swift movement he twisted his upper body and punched the bulbous head of the creature, feeling its teeth pull on his flesh with the impact. The demon let go, but a dulling sensation began to crawl up his leg. Something began to pulse in time with the fire underneath his skin, each wave making him nauseous. The creature¡¯s wail reminded him that he wasn¡¯t safe yet, only just managing to fend off another bite from the Erthi with a kick from his uninjured leg.

    He was lacking the leverage he needed to do any real damage, but it did seem to daze the demon. Kantan the opportunity to scoot away, and collect himself preparing for the creatures next attack. The next attack never came though, as he found the creature completely still, its eyes glazed over. It was breathing shallowly, a small amount of dark essence beginning to collect around the Erthi. Recognizing that it was trying to regenerate its Chi, Kantan quickly limped forward before slamming his fist into the head of the creature in a half fall. A limp wail escaped the demon¡¯s mouth, but it did not thrash or flail. It took a few more adrenaline fueled hits before the demon stopped breathing, it skull caved beneath his bleeding knuckles.

    His heart was pounding, a numb sensation continuing to climb up his left leg. He checked the passageway quickly to ensure he wasn¡¯t being snuck up on before pulling the Erthi out of view of the opening. By the time he got out of view his leg was getting to be a serious burden. Any attempt at putting weight on it led to him collapsing against the hard stone floor. If he didn¡¯t have an injured wrist it would be much more manageable, but pressure there gave him a distinctly bad feeling. By the time he sat next to the slain Erthi on the side of the dome, the numbness was becoming a serious problem.

    Kantan knew basic first aid, one of the first skills taught to members of the clan. There were occasionally skirmishes between clans that would leave wounded needing attending. The Astaire clan ensured anyone could handle basic injuries to lessen the load on dedicated healers. He hurriedly began to rip open his pant leg with his functioning hand starting from the rips around the wound. It was painful, but with a few hard pulls he opened it enough for him to check for any severe wounds. The Erthi utilized their demonic Chi to incapacitate their victims, its chaotic and destructive nature disrupting a person¡¯s internal Chi.

    He assumed it was the tainted Chi that was numbing him, meaning it would eventually lose strength without a source to replenish it. The teeth had penetrated his skin, but the wound was superficial and failed to reach any major arteries. A few minutes later he managed to tear enough of the pant leg to get a basic medical wrap that would help to slow the bleeding. Once he had taken care of his most pressing wound, he checked the rest of his body, noting that aside from the fire coursing through his veins that he was structurally stable. Well, mostly that is. His wrist was completely unresponsive to his commands, and attempting to move it caused a sharp stinging pain that brought tears to his eyes instantly.

    Setting aside his wrist, Kantan tried to locate the source of the fire he felt internally. After a few movements of his body, he felt secure in the assumption that it was likely his Chi channels. The pain radiated out of where his core was supposed to be, sending tendrils of slow but consistent pain through to the rest of his body. Thankfully the fire was lessened by the numbing demonic Chi, its effects soothing his leg and lower left side. Another glance at his leg showed him dark blood with a spiderweb of black veins spreading from the wound.

    When a few more minutes went by with no immediate threat, Kantan reflected on what the Stone Soul had said to him before he blacked out. Somehow the man had found him on his way to the northern part of town, it had been to much of a coincidence that he would walk into the one man who had been turned down by his best friend. Not only had the guy been angry at something Kantan had no control over, but he had attacked him. His body was bruised where the man had struck, surprised that nothing else had been broken.

    Then the rest of the confrontation collided with him, the words that would have the largest impact on his life even if he managed to escape through the exit portal. The bastard had broken his core, something Kantan didn¡¯t even know could happen. Anger flooded his mind as he considered the effects of it all. He had spent his entire life practicing, training, hoping to become a grand Soul Warrior. If he could become strong enough he could have sought out the demon responsible for his parents deaths.

    Kantan slammed his unbroken hand against the ground in frustration, ¡°That bastard stole my future!¡± Anger flared in his mind, his thoughts streaming toward the side of him that he liked not to indulge in. His youth had been rockier than most, the death of his parents led to him causing his grandfather a lot of trouble. Fights had been commonplace when he was younger, unable to control his emotions as fluidly as he could now. Once he had realized that his actions affected those he cared about, specifically his grandfather, Kantan had gone out of his way to be mindful of his interactions with other people.

    Kindness had earned him a best friend in the form of Lyra, which he was grateful for. The thought of Lyra brought him back to the Stone Soul who had broken his core out of petty jealousy. Kindness had also brought him the second worst thing that had ever happened to him. He payed his respects to those who were more powerful, and it had only brought him to his current situation. Broken, alone, and fighting for his life. The dullness in his left leg pulsed ever so slightly, making him wonder if he had even felt the disturbance in the first place. When it didn¡¯t happen again Kantan shrugged and prodded at his numb leg.

    He was beginning to get feeling back as he did so, bringing with it the slow dull burn of his broken Chi channels. ¡°See Kantan, things are looking better by the minute.¡± As soon as he said it, another Erthi wail echoed out of the opening into the dome. Moving as swiftly as he could, Kantan rose to his feet and began to move farther from the opening. The demon appeared less than two seconds later, spotting him and releasing another bone rattling scream. Kantan was using the wall to support himself, only able to put a minuscule amount of weight on his numbed leg.

    Adrenaline kicked in and Kantan found himself trailing the creature around until it stopped moving, having run out of its Chi. It had surprised him by going limp multiple times, the first of which he had been prepared for. When it stopped the second and third time he had managed to keep away from its teeth, but had received bruises in their place. After he finally saw its eyes glaze over, he was sure that he would be able to determine its behavior in the future. The way that its breathing changed when it was truly spent shifted, likely to some innate form of cultivation.

    After he brained the demon and threw its body on top of the second one, he collapsed next to the pile exhausted. In the time it had taken to kill the second Erthi, his leg had cleaned itself of most of the demonic Chi. While the feeling and control of his leg was much better the pain had returned, though at a distinctly less intense level.

    <hr>

    It wasn¡¯t long before Kantan felt his exhaustion begin to close in on his awareness. He realized that he had fallen asleep when he awoke to an Erthi screech from only a few feet away. He cursed and rolled away as the creature launched itself at him, only to land against the wall with a meaty thwack. His heart was beating rapidly as the sleep cleared from his mind, his only goal getting away from the demon. Kantan reached the other side of the dome quicker than he expected, his left leg hold his weight much better than when he was last awake.

    It surprised him, but he didn¡¯t have time to contemplate the fact as the demon continued its assault. This fight went much smoother now that he understood how the Erthi hunted their prey. He dispatched the demon after only needing to bait its feint once, noticing the telltale glaze shortly after. It struck him that this Erthi was significantly smaller than the previous two had been, almost half their size. He was halfway across the room when he recognized that his leg felt almost normal, aside from the simmer of flame of course.

    Kantan threw the demon¡¯s corpse next to the pile of his previous kills and tested his leg. It moved a little sluggishly, and it wouldn¡¯t hold his weight completely on its own very well. A smile spread across his face despite his situation, with his leg mostly stable his chances of survival would drastically increase. He took a few laps around the domed room to test himself, feeling more accustomed to the pain as he moved. Fatigue began to climb its way into his mind as he exerted himself though, forcing him to sit back against the wall to recover.

    The cuts on his knuckles had scabbed over, small black veins slithering away from the wounds. Each Erthi he had to beat to death was coated in Demonic Chi, and he was finding it impossible to avoid the stuff. It seemed to cling and flow toward him during the fights as the Erthi littered its resources into the air. He was thankful that it atleast seemed to numb his wounds, though the amount of his body covered in deep black veins made him nervous. ¡°If I can recover just a bit more without having to fight again, maybe I can start exploring the dungeon more.¡±

    As he sat there with the last of his adrenaline filtering out of his blood, Kantan¡¯s stomach rumbled loudly.

 Chapter 4

    Kantan wasn¡¯t sure exactly how long he had been asleep between the second and third Erthis¡¯ arrivals, but it must have been a significant enough amount of time that he found himself ravenous. He clutched at his stomach with his good hand as it rumbled angrily. ¡°If I don¡¯t find some food my stomach is going to bring the whole dungeon down on me with its griping.¡± For a moment he contemplated his freshest kill, the third Erthi he had slain around an hour or so ago. There was meat there, though it didn¡¯t look appetizing in the slightest, especially considering he had no way to cook it. Again his stomach rioted against him, demanding sustenance.

    If he had entered the dungeon properly as part of his trial, he would have had food prepared along with fire starting supplies. Since he hadn¡¯t been given that choice or those resources he would need to figure out another way to feed himself. Kantan quickly rose to his feet, the elevation change making him momentarily dizzy. When his mind cleared the dizzying spell, he noticed something unsettling. A dark mist had began to form around where he had been leaning against the wall. He followed the source of the darkness to the three bodies of demons lying a few feet away.

    When he had stood to leave he had disturbed it significantly, but he could see it begin to slowly float through the air towards him. Kantan backed away cautiously, a bad feeling settling in his gut. ¡°What did you do Kantan, you¡¯ve got demonic Chi chasing you now.¡± The thought of eating the Erthi suddenly seemed much less enticing despite his hunger. ¡°Maybe if I ignore it, nothing bad will happen.¡± With that he turned and slowly began to pace into the hallway leading out of his dome.

    The walls outside of his dome were the same continuous stone of the previous room, making him wonder how it had been built. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly how dungeon¡¯s functioned, in fact he had very little information about their inner workings in the first place. His clan seemed content to have us come in and slay the demons dwelling within and return with any intriguing tools or artifacts they could find. Remembering that there were supposed to be powerful items in here gave him a moment of hope as he turned his first corner. If he could get a hold of a piece of armor or maybe even a healing salve to fix his wounds then he would have a higher chance of survival.

    As he turned the corner though he came face to face with a seemingly impossibly long hallway. He strained his eyes and still couldn¡¯t see the other side, eventually becoming too dark to make anything out. Kantan had heard that each Trial was different, that the dungeon was consistently remaking itself. It was also the reason that all of the student¡¯s could take the Trial at the same time. Each person would end up in a different part of the dungeon that was unique. ¡°Well if all I have to do to pass my trial is walk down a conspicuous hallway, it seems like I got an easier trial than most.¡±

    Kantan began walking down the seemingly endless hallway, slowly watching the walls and floor for anything suspicious. Traps were a common method of death employed by the dungeon, though it was almost unheard of for a trap to kill a person outright. Most caused injuries that would wear a fighter out over time, a few cuts here, some singing there. He made sure to watch for raised bits of stone or trip wires, but after a half hour of walking he started to wonder what the point of a tunnel this long was supposed to be. The stone never changed, there was never any points of interest or reference. Just continued hallway, without torches or light sources to track his progress.

    A bout of nausea forced its way into his conscious thoughts as his hunger worsened. He leaned against the wall for a few moments, trying to calm his nerves. ¡°Just keep walking, there will be food at some point.¡± Kantan turned around, trying to see if he could still see where he had started, and stopped dead in his tracks. He was no more than twenty feet from the bend in the hall. Dread formed a pit in his stomach as he quickly walked toward the bend, disbelief in his mind. ¡°You have to be kidding me.¡±

    There just fifteen feet in front of him was the dome he had spent the last day in trying to survive. He looked between the domed room and the hallway, frustration and anger boiling inside him. ¡°Thirty minutes wasted making no progress, and I didn¡¯t even see how it happened.¡± Kantan slammed his good hand against the stone before taking a deep breath and centering himself. Losing control now would only leave him in a worse spot than he already was. ¡°Lets just take a moment to rest, then were off to find food.¡±

    As he got into the Astaire cultivation position he began to breath in the cultivation pattern, imagining his Chi cycling throughout his body. Immediately the flames in his Chi channels screamed against him, making him yelp in pain. ¡°Guess I can finally feel something, though its not what I would have hoped.¡±He settled for just breathing deep breaths and giving his body some time to recuperate. Once he felt more stable, he returned to his feet and began to walk down the hallway away from the dome for the second time.

    This time he walked in side step, using his periphery to keep an eye on both directions. After a few minutes of this, a swift motion caught his attention in the direction he was heading. He turned in that direction, falling into a fighting stance and searched the hallway for threats. When he didn¡¯t find any, he turned to look behind him, and let out an angered breath. When he had looked away, he had been moved back to the beginning of the hallway. ¡°This is really starting to get old, you hear me dungeon?¡± He shook is fist mockingly, but the play at humor didn¡¯t fill his stomach.

    <hr>

    It took Kantan roughly 15 minutes of walking backwards and watching the end of the hallway to ensure it didn¡¯t change on him suddenly. When he finally backed into the wall on the other side it caught him off guard, making him jump and turn at the touch. A smooth wall was behind him with a singular section of it at the bottom carved out. When he checked the hallway behind him to see if it was still there his heart began to race. The hallway was no longer there, replaced by a stone room encompassing him with no other way out.

    Trying to stay calm, Kantan inspected the walls without openings for any false sections or illusions. After finding nothing but solid stone he turned back to the thigh high hole in the wall and sighed through his nose. The hole sat at floor height and was completely rectangular with a thick black fog that covered the entrance. Kantan touched the fog to test it and a numbing sensation began to crawl through his finger, confirming his thoughts. It was more demonic Chi, though he didn¡¯t understand its purpose.

    The hole would easily accommodate him if he crawled, but he would be unable to fight. He removed his finger, the realization of having an appendage in a hole he couldn¡¯t see into unsettling him. A headache was beginning to form from the hunger and dehydration, making it hard to think of a solution. He was just about to sit down when a new wail began to screech out of the hole just before him.

    A dark shadow flew out of the hole faster than he could react, his wounded arm suddenly going limp at the shoulder. He twisted to try and follow the creature, but it seemed to blend in with the darker room. Kantan turned his head to the side, trying to use his peripheral vision to get a better sense for the movement. His grandfather had taught him how to fight in various environments, including darkness. As long as there was some light, it would be easier for general movement to watch from the corner of your eye.

    He noticed the shadow shift just in time, rolling to the side as it flew through the air where he had been. Now that he knew what to look for he strained to track it as it shifted irregularly around the room. The demon was translucent, its body lacking any real structure. Black aura shifted around it, blending it in with its surroundings as it moved. Long thin needles of darkness floated around the demon threateningly, the last puzzle piece of the creature sliding into place.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    This was an Erthi Prowler, the second form for an Erthi who absorbed significant amounts of darkness Chi. They were hard to spot without the Chi sight that reaching the base rank provided, and they were deadly assassins with their needles. Each needle would inject itself into the victim once tagged, and the demonic Chi would flood the victim¡¯s system. It would disrupt a person¡¯s cultivation, weakening them until they couldn¡¯t resist.

    Kantan¡¯s heart began to race as he remembered more about the demon, the most important thing being that they were supposed to be on the second floor of the dungeon. He rolled again as the creature dove forward in an attempt to stick him with another needle, just barely dodging the demon¡¯s strike. It screeched in opposition, the sound seemed far away and close at the same time. If he couldn¡¯t already see where it was, it would have been disorienting to pinpoint its location.

    The prowler was too close to him at the top of his roll, forcing him to jump to the side to avoid yet another strike. His numb arm impeded his movement so close to the ground, its weight throwing him off. Kantan suddenly lost all feeling in his right leg, lurching to that side and falling to the ground. The prowler screeched in triumph and quickly jabbed the rest of his limbs in rapid succession. Fear began to overtake him as the demon floated above him, swooping down and piercing his torso in four different points.

    Numbness flooded his system, the fire in his channels being washed away by the demonic Chi. He couldn¡¯t stop the scream from escaping his throat, the inevitable creeping up his body with the spreading of the tainted Chi. Desperately he tried to move, pushing with his mind and commanding his body to move. When all he could manage was a slight shake of his head, anger began to form like magma in a volcano.

    That man did this to me. His petty jealousy put me here. Fire began to burn in his chest once again, though this one did not cause him pain. He deserves to die. He abuses his powers, attacks unawoken. He deserves to die. His anger focused him, but he could not refute the power of the demonic Chi. The numbness began to enter his mind, his thoughts becoming misshapen.

    The prowler leaned in, smelling the prey before him on the verge of death. Its eyes were a glassy black color with a light grey pupil. Right as the darkness overtook him, the demon¡¯s eyes shone iridescent white. The Chi coursed through his consciousness, numbing him to everything, and putting him into a deep forced slumber.

    <hr>

    A rough electrical sensation surged through Kantan, starting at his mid chest and then exploding throughout the rest of his body. He awoke screaming, his eyes flashing open to find demonic creatures of nightmare with blazing white eyes above him. They held weird blades to his chest, which was exposed to the elements. One of the demons was holding a pulsing sphere with a polished exterior, a dark nimbus circling around inside of it.

    The sphere was pushing energy into his exposed chest, each pulse sending more electricity through his system. While the electricity hurt, there was also a dullness to it, like it was hurting him and soothing him at the same time. The pain was becoming unbearable and one of the demon¡¯s swiped a hand in his direction. Black energy shot from its fingers and connected with his head. Darkness overtook his mind instantly, the pain fading along with his awareness.

    <hr>

    A soft prodding pushed at his mind, and Kantan found himself waking up for the second time. Awareness came to him instantly and he sat up quickly, completely alert. Energy was surging through his body, and he felt better than he ever had. ¡°What the hell?¡± He examined his hands as he sat up, feeling strength within him. Dark black veins and ashen gray skin greeted him, his nails elongated and sharp. A small yelp escaped his lips, and his heart began to beat rapidly.

    ¡°Easy now, we don¡¯t know how much of a toll the transition took on you.¡± A female voice resounded in his head, and an odd calming sensation washed over him. His anxiety ebbed immediately as something pressed on his mind.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± A quickly turned his head to each side, only finding stone walls and no exit. He was completely alone in the room.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, how else would I be talking to you.¡± Again the feminine voice pervaded his thoughts.

    ¡°I must be going crazy, hearing voices. The hunger is definitely getting to me.¡± As he said it though, he realized that he wasn¡¯t hungry. Well, not in the traditional sense. Kantan could recognize that he craved food, but he could also feel something else sustaining him.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not crazy, or that means I am going to be in for a long lifetime.¡± Kantan jumped again at the voice in his head. ¡°Would it help if I explained what happened?¡± The voice sounded soothing, and he found himself nodding along with it.

    ¡°I am this dungeon¡¯s core, the mystical rock that controls this dungeon and all of its denizens.¡± The core spoke animatedly, a bit of pride tinging her voice. ¡°I manage all of the different floors and create each of the creatures that live on each one.¡±

    ¡°Wait wait, I didn¡¯t think dungeon cores were sentient. Even if you are, how come I can hear you in my head?¡± This was all new information to him, especially the fact that the core was alive.

    ¡°Well if you¡¯d let me finish, I can go about explaining all of that. Dungeon cores are all sentient, though most go their whole lives without interacting directly with you mortals.¡± The core had a bubbly tone, as if telling him this information was the most fascinating thing in the world. ¡°As for why you can hear me, that is because I implanted myself in place of your broken core!¡±

    Kantan was stunned, his mind failing to comprehend what the core had said. ¡°You replaced my core? How is that even possible?¡± His mind reeled, not only had his body changed, but now his core had been replaced. It wasn¡¯t just any replacement though, but a demonic dungeon core. ¡°What am I even supposed to say to that?¡± he questioned, his anxiety beginning to push through even the core¡¯s influence.

    ¡°Well you can start with a ¡®Thanks¡¯, from there we can figure out the rest.¡± The core¡¯s voice was bubbly and in good spirit, contrasting his growing unease. He felt a renewed pressure against his psyche and a flare of anger burst from him.

    ¡°Stop manipulating me!¡± He grabbed his head, trying to will her influence over him away. His hands found small horns less than a finger¡¯s length long sprouting from his temple. They were thin, but compared to his whole life without them they felt massive. The anger grew, his power responding to him and forming a barrier around him. The core pulsed and another calming wave tried to swallow his anger, but it would not be quenched.

    ¡°You need to calm down, you are still healing from the transition.¡± her voice was calm, but strained with effort. His anger continued to grow, like every chemical in his body was designed for the rage he felt. A part of him recognized the anger as foreign, but it was dwarfed by the irrational rampaging emotion. Power surged through his dark veins, creating a dark glow that seemed both familiar and unnatural.

    Pain began to sprout in his chest as he drew on his new power, but his anger pushed the hurt aside. Demanding that he draw more and more, each ounce of it making him feel more alive, more in control. ¡°If you don¡¯t calm down, you¡¯ll kill us both.¡± Her voice was weaker, pained almost. At the same time the core spoke the pressure on his mind eased back, becoming a small weight in the back of his head. A memory sprang to the forefront of his mind, forcing itself past the anger.

    Lyra stood opposite him in her traditional clan clothes, the type of clothing worn for special occasions both good and bad. She had her hands on her hips and a stubborn look on her face. ¡°Being all angry like that isn¡¯t going to make it any easier Kantan. If you keep picking fights with people, you are going to lose one day. What am I supposed to do if my best friend gets killed in a fight that could have been avoided? Getting yourself killed isn¡¯t going to reunite you with your parents, its only going to leave the rest of us broken.¡±

    The memory was calming, the violent torrent that was his new power began to slow as it circled him. His rapid breath shifted from shallow to deep as he forced himself to calm down. Kantan fell back to his breathing techniques, moving his imaginary chi in a cycle through his body. It surprised him when the power he felt began to move in the practiced direction, the darkened mist around his body being slowly pulled into him.

    Kantan maintained his breathing pattern, positioning himself into his clan¡¯s cultivating technique completely. After a few minutes of it he felt shaky, but the pain in his chest had reduced almost completely. The anger was still there, but it was a passenger now instead of the driver of his mind. With one last deep breath, he sighed his frustrations out and resigned himself to his situation. ¡°I.. I¡¯m sorry, I lost control.¡±

 Chapter 5

    ¡°You need to be careful for a while, if you use our Chi too much before you¡¯re completely healed we could die.¡± Kantan weighed the core¡¯s words carefully, leaving him full of questions. Her voice was weaker, slightly strained after he had pulled to hardly on this new power inside of him.

    ¡°I have questions, as I am sure you expected. Lets cover the basics first. Why am I alive when the prowler should have been the end of me?¡± He remained calm through the uncertainty, focusing on keeping his breathing stable and consistent. The core in his chest was silent for a moment, and he could feel its mental influence in the back of his mind. It wasn¡¯t pressing down on him anymore, but it was like he was sharing the same space as it.

    ¡°The prowler was the end of you, at least the end of you being human.¡± Her voice was recovering slowly but surely, yet it hadn¡¯t regained that bubbly nature he had first encountered.

    ¡°What did it do to me? I haven¡¯t heard of prowlers being able to turn people into demons.¡± He racked his brain for any lecture that might explain what was going on, but came up empty handed.

    ¡°Human¡¯s typically can¡¯t become demon¡¯s because their core treats demonic essence as hostile. My knowledge on human cultivation is lacking, but if I had to compare it to something human cores are like immune systems for foreign Chi.¡± Kantan could feel the energy swirling through his body, following his will as he practiced the clan¡¯s cultivation technique. It unsettled him to think that it was demonic Chi moving through his channels.

    ¡°So, why didn¡¯t my ¡­¡± The realization hit him like a truck, ¡°My core was broken, so it couldn¡¯t fight off the demonic Chi could it.¡± His hand curled into a fist as he remembered why he was here in the first place. The anger began to boil within him, but the pain in his chest reminded him to remain calm. ¡°Is there no end to the problems that bastard will cause me?¡± He had raised his voice without thinking about it, catching himself off guard.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. Do you mean the man who carried you in here? He was so nice though, even offered you too me. Not many people try to give me gifts you know.¡± The absurdity of her words left him stunned for a second. ¡°I was just going to eat you like I would anyone else, but I had a better idea. I want to explore, I¡¯m tired of not going anywhere. When I saw that your core was broken, I figured I could take its place! Now here we are.¡±

    Her excited voice unsettled him, the context of her words a mismatch for her tone. ¡°So, if I am understanding everything correctly, you want to leave the dungeon and explore the outside world. This led you to alter my body and replace my core, all without my permission. Does that sound right to you?¡±

    He could feel her mind working, a hint of confusion about his words. It was an interesting sensation, almost as if he was confused himself yet it felt less full. ¡°I just did what I would with any of my other creations. I sense some anger about my words though, I don¡¯t understand. When that weakling gave you to me, I didn¡¯t think there were any rules to it.¡±

    Kantan found him self chuckling at the insanity of it all. ¡°Well first things first, just because someone offers you something, does not mean it is theirs to begin with. Secondly, why did you have to change how I look? Were going to get attacked on sight regardless of how I got here.¡± He shook his head and got into a standing position. While standing up he wobbled slightly, noticing that he was taller than he remembered. So much had changed so quickly, almost every part of him was different in some way. Could he even consider himself the same person? Not only had his physical appearance changed, but his Soul had been replaced by that of a demonic dungeon core.

    ¡°Now I may not have the best understanding of human society, but if someone gives you something than it is yours. As for how you look, that was not my fault. You just kept on pulling in the ambient demonic essence I created.¡± Her voice was almost indignant, as if he had offended her. ¡°My essence only does what it is supposed to, no different than fire or air would. Demonic essence carries a trans-formative effect, if you didn¡¯t want to look that way you should have absorbed some other essence type.¡±

    ¡°My core was broken, its not like I could control what it did.¡± Kantan thumbed one of his horns absently as he considered his situation. ¡°If I go back to my clan, I can tell them what happened. Maybe it goes my way and that stone soul gets imprisoned or executed, or maybe I get killed before I reach the front gate.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard talking to oneself is considered odd, though I am not anyone to judge. Until today I¡¯ve only ever spoken to myself.¡± Kantan felt the anger momentarily surge, but he clamped down on it. He tempered his anger with the fact that she had been alone for untold centuries. His clan had found this dungeon already formed and active, setting up their town around it in order to gather its riches. ¡°Now that I have you, I always have someone to talk to. Isn¡¯t that great! I think it is.¡±

    Her voice almost reminded him of a child¡¯s voice, uncharacteristically optimistic and hopeful. It brought a smile to the corners of his mouth, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly better. A part of him was glad that the new voice in his head wasn¡¯t some crazy killing machine like the creatures she had created.

    ¡°So, based on things we can control right now we have a few options.¡± He started, bringing a hand up to count on his fingers. ¡°We can go back to my clan and try to get everything sorted. My grandfather is an elder there, so he should be able to help. Our second option is to go somewhere else, and try to fix the way that I look.¡±

    The core¡¯s influence in his mind shifted in thought, ¡°I don¡¯t think there is anything wrong with the way you look. Of the demon¡¯s I have seen, you have just the right amount of horns. Some end up with too many you know? I¡¯ve personally made one with so many horns that it could only roll around. It wasn¡¯t the most effective demon I¡¯ve made. Though ..¡±

    Kantan waved his hand to stop her, the excitement in her voice continuing to spiral out of control. ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, but outside of your dungeon demons are hunted religiously. There are literal religions that hunt demons across the world just for existing.¡± He sighed in resignation, the new core in his chest was not going to understand the way humans would react to him. ¡°Lets just say that in all of the modern history I am aware of, there has never been a human with demonic essence.¡±

    Her voice grew quiet, ¡°Oh, I guess I could see how that changes things. Do you think that will keep up from exploring?¡± She sounded hopeful that it wouldn¡¯t, but Kantan shook his head. ¡°Well then what do we need to do to not die when we visit your clan?¡±

    He thought for a while before settling on the only option he could think of. ¡°If we can get to my grandfather before anyone catches us, he¡¯ll at least hear us out. My¡­.¡± He took a deep breath as he steeled himself for the topic. ¡°My parents were killed by demon¡¯s on a hunt when I was young so I doubt he will be okay with this, but he won¡¯t kill us outright.¡± He cycled some of his power to his hand, seeing the dark wisps of shadow begin to permeate his skin. His grandfather wouldn¡¯t kill him right away, at least he thought he wouldn¡¯t.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°I believe I understand your anger towards me. I hope that you won¡¯t kill us both out of spite, though I can¡¯t really stop you if you really wanted to.¡± Her voice carried pity and resignation, the combination aggravating him slightly. She expected him to self destruct because of his past.

    ¡°You do not need to worry, I would not throw my life away so quickly. Not until I have hunted the demon¡¯s who killed my parents.¡± He felt the power inside of him resonate with his words, and the influence of the core seemed to pulse in agreement. ¡°While I may be angry with how I got here, the power you grant me will give me a chance to avenge them. If you hadn¡¯t done what you did, I would have simply died to your dungeon. In the end you saved my life, and the price simply means I cannot return to my old one.¡±

    The core¡¯s influence expanded hesitantly in his mind, but it did not attempt to persuade him. It felt like an animal opening up after being trapped in a corner, and it made him realize that he held another sentient creature¡¯s life in his hands. It was a concept that, in the past, had always seemed like an expectation. As a hunter he would be expected to kill both demon¡¯s and warring faction members. The thought of being able to kill a thinking capable creature, even if it was demonic in its nature felt off though. The core in his chest might not have been human, but he could feel what it felt on a deep level. It may have a foreign mind, it may have a foreign body, but in the end it had chosen to save him. Where would his honor be if he repayed that in blood.

    It was at this point it dawned on him that there was no doorway for him to even leave through in the first place. ¡°Uh, I¡¯ve only just realized that there is no way out of this room. At least not one I can see.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how dungeons worked their magic, but he imagined that the core in his chest knew what it was doing. ¡°Is there some button I need to press?¡±

    The once somber voice of the dungeon core immediately regained its bubbly nature, ¡°Well its actually simpler than that. Since I am a dungeon core, I can control my dungeon¡¯s layout.¡± The simplicity of it left him stunned. She could still influence her dungeon? As if to demonstrate her capability, stone began to dissipate into dark mist before revealing a hallway into another room.

    ¡°If you can still manipulate the dungeon, than it would probably be better if we didn¡¯t leave.¡± His mind was whirring through the possibilities that a dungeon offered him. ¡°With this, I could continue to grow until I was the strongest person in my clan. Then I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about them trying to kill me because I could defend myself!¡±

    He felt defeat flash through his core¡¯s influence, ¡°That would mean not exploring, which is the only reason I did what I did remember? If I wanted to spend forever in here I would have just eaten you like I do everyone else.¡± He could almost feel her pouting as she spoke. It was odd, but in a way it felt natural.

    As much as he wanted to argue the downsides of leaving, her words carried merit. She had saved him so in a way he owed her, even if her goals were selfish. ¡°I think leaving right away would simply get us killed. I don¡¯t know how to use this power effectively, if at all. I barely understand the implications of a dungeon core fusing with a person in the first place. We should get a handle on what we are capable of before going out into the world.¡±

    ¡°Hrmph,¡± he felt her thinking, and a strike of annoyance flared before she finally agreed. ¡°Fine, but once we figure out what we can do I expect us to explore a whole bunch of things.¡± Kantan could feel the stubbornness in her words backed by the emotions of her mind.

    ¡°Deal.¡± He began to walk through the hallway as he thought. ¡°Once I am all healed up, we can run some tests. Do dungeons have soul ranks? If so what rank were you when you replaced my core?¡± Thoughts of ascending to a high rank immediately after getting a hold of Chi jumped to the forefront of his mind. His excitement was tempered almost as soon as they began to run wild.

    ¡°I was an Emerald Soul Dungeon, though now that I have inhabited a body my powers have weakened to what your physical form is able to handle.¡± An Emerald Soul! That was high enough to lay waste to kings if he could access her full power. ¡°I figured that something like this might happen, so I transferred most of my power into the physicality of the dungeon. Combined we are at the peak of the basic Soul rank based on our Chi density.¡± Kantan contemplated her words, realizing that he was the limiting factor.

    ¡°If I understand correctly, I can only hold so much power currently. You lowered the amount of Chi you had in reserve to the point my body could handle, correct?¡± A mental nod from her influence led him to continue. ¡°If I were to break through into the Stone Soul would I be at the peak of that rank as well?¡±

    She took a few moments to think about the possibility, and Kantan used that time to analyze the next room. It was a simple cylinder with three other branching hallways lining the walls. A small Obelisk sat in the center of the room with a perfectly round bowl atop it. Black crystals grew downwards from the high ceiling, starting from a wide base and ending with a point right above the bowl. As he watched, a small drop of black liquid fell atop a fist sized multifaceted gem within the bowl. Instead of running off the side of the gem, it was instead absorbed. A soft darkness permeated the area around the ceiling crystal and the gem. He recognized that something about his vision had changed, as the darkness seemed to have a magical effect to it. He could tell through his Chi that without his transition that seeing through the cloud would have been impossible before hand.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Even as he asked he could feel the dark haze resonate with the power that surged through his Chi channels. It called to him, and on instinct he could feel a sort of spiritual awareness shift toward the gem, a heavy pressure exerting onto his shoulders. Gravity felt like it had shifted, the force of the ambient essence weighing down on him noticeably.

    ¡°This is my newest creation, well aside from you of course.¡± He felt glory from her words, as if it had been a serious challenge to create the powerful object. ¡°Using ambient collection circuits and Onyx crystals, I am able to funnel and condense the essence within my dungeon into that storage core. That powers a runic network that manipulates the dungeon in my absence.¡±

    Kantan stopped in place, the load of information overwhelming him for a moment. ¡°Pardon my ignorance, but I didn¡¯t know that you could create runes as a dungeon. Also, why do you need this runic network to run the dungeon if you can still control it?¡± He analyzed the obelisk in the center of the room, searching for the runes but the face was simple grey stone. ¡°Why can¡¯t I see the runes?¡±

    ¡°Whoa there, if you give me a moment I¡¯ll explain. Firstly, of course I can make runes. How else would traps work? You don¡¯t think I manually trigger all of the traps in this place do you? That would be incredibly tedious and as an avid rune crafter I don¡¯t have the time for that.¡± Kantan nodded along to her words, feeling slightly sheepish. ¡°Secondly, my control over the dungeon is less so now that I have bonded with your core. All of the essence around us is still mine, for now. Once this network gets diluted with enough foreign chi I will lose control over it. As long as were in the dungeon though, I will slowly be able to regain control.¡±

    ¡°So as long as there is enough of our Chi in the dungeon, you¡¯ll maintain control. Once we leave though, peoples usage and filtering of Chi in here will dilute your essence. If we aren¡¯t here to replace it, than you can¡¯t manipulate the ambient essence.¡± He felt affirmation from her influence, prompting him to speak again. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t explain why I can¡¯t see the runes.¡±

    ¡°That is simple, all of the runes are within the stone, instead of on the surface. The more exposed the network is the more likely someone is to break or damage it. Should the network break in my absence, or while I don¡¯t have enough influence, the dungeon will stop working completely.¡± She lent mental weight to her last words, ¡°If the dungeon stops working completely, than it would be almost impossible for us to generate enough Chi to start it up again.¡±