《Reckless Talents》


 Chapter 1 - Nightmares

    The medallion felt heavier in Erik¡¯s hand than it had the day before, its dark runes more ominous in the pale light of dawn. Frail-looking, with pale skin and dark circles under his eyes, he stood by the window of his small one-room cabin, trying to gather himself.


    As he fastened the medallion around his neck, a chill ran down his spine at its unsettling weight. He forced himself to ignore it. He didn¡¯t have time for this. Not today.


    Because today, on the first day of spring, all eighteen-year-olds across the world of Nelum faced the same question: Would their Awakening Ritual be their salvation¡ªor damnation?


    And his time had arrived. He was among those who would be undergoing this rite of passage. It allowed most people to Awaken a Talent, and wield extraordinary powers.


    Still, he hesitated. His fingers brushed over the intricate runes etched into the dark metal. The medallion was the only keepsake he had from his parents, and despite its eerie engravings¡ªa human skeleton flanked by a vulture¡ªhe couldn¡¯t bring himself to leave it behind. A piece of his past he could still hold onto.


    But lately, it had begun to feel like more than a simple memento.


    Over the past eight nights, since his birthday, Erik had been plagued by nightmares. In his dreams, he became a bird flying among an endless flock, only to be swallowed by an ocean of feathers and beaks. No matter what he did, he couldn¡¯t escape. Last night¡¯s nightmare had been particularly vivid, its lingering presence clinging to his mind like a meal with a bitter aftertaste.


    His gaze shifted to the two dolls, woven from sticks and dry grass, sitting on the windowsill¡ªsimple creations he had made to remember his parents.


    ¡°One day¡­ I will make you proud,¡± he whispered to them, what had turned into a morning ritual. ¡°I¡¯ll join the Ulednar, just like you.¡± His voice carried a quiet but unwavering conviction.


    He glanced towards the small rock on his nightstand. It had a rune on its surface that was slowly morphing into another one and glowing a lavender color, telling him the time of day.


    ¡°Not again, damn it!¡± Erik hissed, realizing he had spaced out for too long due to his lack of sleep and was now running late. The ritual would soon be underway. Missing it wasn¡¯t just forbidden¡ªit was punishable by death.


    He quickly dashed out of the front door.


    His house was positioned at the edge of the small city, the closest one to the graveyard, which was why it was so cheap. And since he worked there, it was convenient for him as well. But unfortunately, his destination, the explorers¡¯ guild, was all the way on the other side of Skulheim.


    Erik delved through its cobblestoned streets, which twisted like serpents, their edges lined with wooden houses etched with intricate carvings of animals and mysterious symbols.


    The morning was in full swing, and as it was a special one, the city-folk usually started their day earlier than normal. But thankfully, the roads on his path were still sparse and nobody was getting in his way.


    Posters were the only thing distracting him. They were a warning to the young man and women that they must absolutely undertake the ritual or face dire consequence. They loomed over him, stark and unforgiving.


    Failure meant more than death¡ªit meant shame, obscurity, and the end of everything he¡¯d hoped for.


    Sweating and huffing, Erik was just crossing one of the low bridges over the shallow river, that cut across the city, when he heard the heavy thudding of hooves behind him. He turned to see a group of riders approaching at a brisk pace, each of their gazes fixed straight ahead.


    At their center rode a young man, most likely a noble, around Erik''s age. Cloaked in pristine blue and white furs with a silver spear strapped to his back. It matched his silver-white hair that was tied neatly tied. His posture was upright and unwavering. And every rider around him matched his intensity, their expressions alert and their focus unbroken.


    As they drew closer, Erik edged to the side of the bridge to make room, thinking they would adjust their formation to avoid him. The noble¡¯s gaze remained locked forward, his horse continuing in a direct line without a single glance in Erik''s direction.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Clear the way!¡± bellowed the captain at the noble¡¯s side, his voice slicing through the crisp morning air.


    Erik scrambled further back, but the narrow space and lack of a parapet betrayed him. With a startled yelp, his foot slipped, and he plunged into the river below. The shallow drop barely softened the impact. The icy water tore the breath from his lungs, and pain shot up his side as he struck the riverbed.


    He splashed around as the biting chill of the water and the pain shocked him awake, washing away his fatigue.


    Slightly dazed, he saw that above him the riders continue without slowing, their silhouettes framed against the morning light. The noble cast a brief glance over his shoulder at his guards, his eyes sharp and assessing, as if checking that there was no further disruption to their progress. He then turned back, and the group rode on with practiced precision.


    Erik observed them with barely concealed venom in his eyes. The blue crest with a snow fox that they bore reminded him of their status.


    One day... they wouldn¡¯t dare look past me. I¡¯ll be the one they clear the way for. He swore to himself.


    The riders seemed to be heading in the direction of the guild, which reminding him that he had to go as well. He quickly crossed the dozen feet to the shore, but just as Erik was about to rush off after them, he stopped in his tracks.


    What the¡­? Wide-eyed, he was rooted on the spot.


    The stench of death and decay filled his nostrils, making his hair stand on end.


    He also felt that something was heating up around his chest but he couldn''t look away from what was in front of him.


    There was a large, old tree towering over the surrounding houses and amidst its branches was a bird akin to a vulture with feathers as dark as midnight, as if swallowing the light around it. Its black eyes somehow gave off a dark glow. The tree and bird appeared ethereal, shrouded in a thin, dark mist, as if caught between worlds.


    The feathered creature observed the riders as they sped down the road.


    Where did they come from? He hadn¡¯t noticed them before. It''s as if they had appeared in between the blinks of his eyes.


    Was he dreaming again? This vulture was the same one from his nightmares and the one engraved on his medallion. But this felt too real.


    What if he wasn¡¯t dreaming? For a moment, he thought the security of the city had failed and monsters had managed to get inside. But that had never happened before, and there were no alarms sounded.


    The vulture¡¯s gaze shifted, peering directly into Erik¡¯s eyes. His vision blurred, and just before he passed out, a seemingly random thought crossed his mind:Why is my medallion so hot?


    ***


    In a haze, a vision unfolded before him of a vast, endless swarm of shapeless birds, their wings beating in eerie harmony against a night sky filled with stars. They moved slowly in a massive circle spiraling down into a devouring abyss. But amid the torrent of wings, one that looked like a vulture broke from the spiral, defying the pull.


    It turned, rising toward the distant stars, only to be hemmed in by the others, their mass blocking its flight.


    The black wings blurred together, a storm of shadows blotting out the stars. Undeterred, the vulture fought¡ªfeathers torn, talons slashing, beak striking¡ªslowly pushing through the press of black wings, a battle that stretched on as if time itself had slowed.


    Finally, it emerged, and with a croak sharp as thunder, it cried out to the sky triumphantly. A soundless scream reverberated in Erik''s mind. The stars above pulsed faintly, as if distant beacons of hope or ... warnings of failure.


    ***


    Slowly, Erik¡¯s vision started clearing. He found himself lying on the shore of the river, and the late afternoon sunlight made him squint. His mouth was dry, as if he had being walking through a desert.


    ¡°Ugghhh¡­ what was that?¡± With a groan he sat up and tried to make sense of his situation. It slowly came back to him. His head snapped towards where the vulture was, but it, along with the tree, were gone.


    The bird¡¯s cry still echoed in his mind, relentless and sharp. Erik clenched the medallion, its heat still faint against his palm. Was this a warning¡ªor a test of his resolve?


    It felt like the world was trying to tell him something but he couldn''t make sense of it.


    Before he could think about it further, one of the city-folk crossing the bridge spat and muttered loudly under his breath, ¡°Another no-good street rat polluting the river!¡±


    Startled, Erik looked up in puzzlement. The bridge and surrounding streets had people going about their affairs. Then he remembered where he was going and realized how late it had gotten.


    There was a pair of guards on one of the streets across the river that were talking and pointing in his direction. They then started making their way towards him.


    Erik''s stomach twisted. He shoved the medallion back into his shirt and dashed off towards the guild, cursing under his breath. When he glanced back, the guards slowed, exchanged a glance then turned back toward their post. Erik let out a shaky breath, knowing he wasn¡¯t worth the trouble¡ªfor now.


    The sunset painted the sky in bright, vibrant colors and illuminated the hill in warm orange as Erik arrived at his destination.


    The guild hall, towering at four stories, was built from massive tree trunks and adorned with runes, incense burners, and trinkets. Carvings of mystical landscapes and hideous monsters lined its walls, each a proud testament to the explorers¡¯ exploits and legacies. And the building wore those proudly, like medals of honor.


    In front of it, there was a dispersing crowd, many young adults with friends and relatives. Some were thoughtful, some crying, and some laughing joyfully.


    Erik''s gaze fixated on the entrance of the guild.


    ¡°No,¡± he squeezed out when he saw the doors closed and no staff present.

 Chapter 2 - Upstream river

    ¡°ERIK! Where were you? They just closed the entrance!¡± a male voice called out.


    Erik turned and saw his childhood friend, Taron. The tall young man¡¯s long red hair framed his worried expression.


    ¡°I-I¡­ riders from one of the clans got in my way!¡± Erik stammered out and then added in a confused voice, ¡°... there was a vision.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure if he should share the rest; he might seem like he was losing his mind.


    ¡°Riders? Vision?¡­ Were you spacing off again?¡± Taron looked at him in confusion.


    Right then, a deep voice called out, ¡°Einrik Naudrson.¡±


    Hearing his full name made Erik flinch, he turned and saw that at the entrance of the guild stood one of its explorers.


    The young man gulped and marched to the door with a bleak expression.


    Is this it? Will they think I was skipping out and execute me? His thoughts despaired as he arrived in front of the gate.


    The man was dressed in unassuming armor and furs, but Erik still did not dare to underestimate him. All explorers had a Talent at least somewhat useful in fight, and any one of them could kill him effortlessly.


    The man looked him up and down with interest before saying, ¡°Your ancestors must be watching over you, boy. The branch leader ordered that we have the ritual site running in case anyone arrived late¡­ even though you are the only one left.¡±


    ¡°The branch leader?¡± Erik turned his gaze towards the top floor. There, at one of the windows, he saw the silhouette of a broad-shouldered man looking in his direction, but he disappeared after a moment.


    ¡°Aye, stay here for a bit. I¡¯ll let the others know, and then come fetch you after.¡± With that, the explorer disappeared inside the guild.


    Breathing a sigh of relief, Erik wanted to collapse on the ground right then and there. But he couldn¡¯t. He still needed to actually go through the ritual. Taron had apparently overheard the conversation and walked up to him with an amazed expression.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this happened," he exclaimed and then added quietly with a lively expression, ¡°Do you secretly know the branch leader?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯ve never met him,¡± Erik said, frowning in confusion. The day hadn¡¯t started off in the best way, but disaster was avoided.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry brother, after this you will be able to live a normal life,¡± his friend said in a reassuring tone.


    The young man¡¯s expression hardened slightly. ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that,¡± Taron¡¯s smile disappeared.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood. Not today,¡± Erik said tersely.


    ¡°Yeah, me too, I don¡¯t want to bring it up again. But I feel like I have to, before you get yourself killed. The Ulednar are hardened warriors, where each one has conquered multiple Whispers... I just don¡¯t think that path is right for you, Erik. It¡¯s too ruthless, too unforgiving. I¡¯m not saying to give up on your dreams, just to find a safer way. There is nothing wrong with living a quiet life.¡±


    Erik did not say anything. Long ago, he had realized that the two of them simply saw things differently, and there was no point in arguing over this anymore.


    ¡°Just please, promise me that you¡¯ll think things over, before you rush into something that will get you killed.¡±


    Erik just gave him a nod and decided he wanted to change the subject.


    ¡°Thanks for coming... I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you today. But how did you know I hadn''t gone through with the ritual and left already.¡±


    ¡°The explorer you just saw is a friend. He told me you hadn¡¯t,¡± Taron said, waving dismissively. ¡°And of course, brother! Did you think I would skip the most important event of your life?¡± He then clapped him on the shoulder.


    ¡°No, but with how busy things have gotten for you since you Awakened your Talent last year... I wouldn¡¯t blame you. I would have understood if you didn¡¯t come.¡±


    ¡°No way! The instructors are driving me into the ground in preparation for the Whisper, but I gave them the slip today,¡± Taron said, while smirking.


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea? If your clan won¡¯t give you more time, you don¡¯t have much left¡­¡± Erik said, his voice tinged with worry.


    His friend shrugged casually and said, ¡°They won¡¯t. And at this point, I¡¯m as prepared as I can be. I¡¯ll either conquer it or die trying¡ªsimple as that.¡±


    Erik gave him a slight nod, "have you decided on which one you will attempt?"


    Taron glanced around before leaning in to whisper, "Yeah, there¡¯s a Whisper in the foothills of the Draugkeld Mountains, a few hours east of the city. The clan believes it¡¯s¡­ a special one. On top of that, based on the inspections, they¡¯ve concluded it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to conquer. One would only need to find and touch the Whisper Tree to exit."The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Alright. Be careful..."


    "Always am!"


    ¡°I am still surprised they couldn¡¯t bend traditions even a little bit for their favorite scion, and not force into it or at least give you more time,¡± Erik said.


    ¡°HA! When did you become so funny. I never thought they would. I was adopted and I am not the only heir. There are a lot of strong candidates.¡± His face became expressionless.


    ¡°There are many watching my every move, waiting for me to slip up¡­ but they¡¯ll wait in vain. I will climb to the top¡­¡±


    Taron¡¯s eyes grew chillingly cold. ¡°And I¡¯ll find them, Erik. They¡¯ll pay for what they did to us,¡± he added with quiet resolve.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find out which cult it was!¡± Taron mumbled, the last part more to himself.


    Erik kept quiet. He knew his friend was intent on revenge against an imaginary foe and nothing he said would sway him otherwise. He had tried.


    And the thing was that Erik fully understood him. They had grown up in the same small town. And aside from their families, they also lost friends. The two of them were part of a group of five children that were close like brothers and sisters. Only three survived, himself, Taron and Freya, after that tragic incident¡ªand that''s all it was, a tragic incident.


    But it had left a massive scar on each of them and they were still haunted by it to this day, dealing with it in their own ways.


    Taron had heard a vague rumor about an old, insidious cult operating near their hometown before the incident, but Erik dismissed it. His parents had never mentioned such a thing, and there¡¯d been no prior signs of a cult. The rumor, originating from a local gang in Skulheim, seemed unreliable¡ªjust expensive misinformation.


    He didn''t know what to say, but his friend picked up the conversion after a moment.


    ¡°Erik, do remember when we used to spent our time digging through old books looking for any scrap of knowledge about Talents? In one of the scriptures left by the Exalted, there was something that always stuck with me.¡±


    ¡°Only unquenchable thirst from the upstream river can lead one to the sea of stars¡­ yeah, I remember,¡± Erik said.


    It was something that always stuck with him as well. It was also one of the few things he remembered his parents telling him.


    Taron gave him a nod and said with a thoughtful expression, ¡°It¡¯s perverse, but I think I am starting to understand it.¡±


    ¡°Freya always says that as well,¡± Erik said with a faint smile. ¡°Did you see her?¡±


    ¡°No, but she apparently already went through the ritual.¡± Taron answered absentmindedly.


    The young man smiled. He would need to meet up with her at some point, but he wasn¡¯t on the best of terms with her gang, so it might be a bit difficult.


    "Good. I am glad she didn''t follow through with those ridiculous tales about people Awakening by entering a Whisper¡ªit''s simply suicidal to do that." Erik said.


    Taron opened his mouth, but then closed it. He looked like he wanted to say something.


    Before Erik could ask him what it was, they were interrupted as the explorer showed up at the guild¡¯s doorway and called out, ¡°Boy, come this way.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got this.¡± Taron gave him final words of encouragement as the two friends exchanged a nod.


    Erik took a deep breath and stepped forward¡ªeager to begin walking on the path toward his dream. He clenched the medallion in his hand. It was cool against his skin.


    Whatever awaited him inside, he would face it. He had to, failure wasn¡¯t an option.


    Inside the guild, Erik was guided through the grand hall, its walls adorned with ancient banners and the preserved trophies of wild, ferocious beast¡ªsilent witnesses to the daring conquests of the explorers.


    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he would be able to accomplish something like that one day. Looking at the five-foot-large head of a red bear, he struggled to imagine being able to kill something like that.


    As they were approaching a stairway leading down, there was a large tapestry that caught his eye.


    It was of a man with a long dark beard and dark billowing robes. Sacred glowing runes were tattooed on his shaven head, giving him an intangible air of purpose. His leaf-green eyes were fixed on a mountain chain stretching beyond the horizon. But the striking part of the image was that he was standing on a large jagged hill made of bones.


    As if spilling out of that macabre mountain, a cracked human skull was placed on a pedestal in front of the tapestry with words carved in the wood below it.


    The same ones as those left by the Exalted.


    Erik couldn¡¯t help himself and asked, ¡°Who is that?¡±


    The explorer paused and glanced at the tapestry before turning to the young man. ¡°That¡¯s Bjorn Skuljar. It happened a long time ago, so not many remember, but he is the one that established this city and guild branch."


    He seems to have embraced those words as well... Erik thought.


    The explorer added, ¡°They say these grounds were plagued by a horde of Draugr, which he destroyed single-handedly.¡±


    ¡°Plagued by what?¡± Erik had never heard of that.


    ¡°Aye, I forgot. That¡¯s their ancient name and what we call them, but normal people know them as Undead. Unlike the Nilgrim, they are weak individually. But still dangerous if there are too many in one place. And where there is one, there will be another. Thankfully, they are almost mindless, driven mainly by instinct¡ªeven the Higher-Ranked ones,¡± he explained.


    Erik face paled a bit. The Undead was something had heard of. In fact, most people in this part of the world knew of them. They weren''t that common, only appearing in specific location, but the mountain chain a few hours away from the city had an unusually high number of them. And they had a ghastly reputation, many small towns and villages had been ripped apart in the past by large hordes of Undead.


    ¡°Why do you think he did it?¡± Erik asked.


    The explorer remained silent for a few moments, looking at the man in the tapestry.


    ¡°For the same reason any person would do something unreasonable¡­ the people they hold dear. It¡¯s said he was looking for the right Whisper for his son to enter and Awaken a Talent¡­¡± He snorted and added harshly, shaking his head ¡°Lunacy.¡±


    He then shrugged and said nonchalantly, albeit with a hint of admiration, ¡°Also, alone against a large horde? The story is a myth if you ask me.¡± The man then continued walking towards the stairs. ¡°Come on, the others will be waiting.¡±


    Erik gave a slight nod, but couldn¡¯t help picturing what it would feel like to face a horde of Draugr on his own¡ªreeking of death, countless eyes staring down at him with malice, marching towards him in silence. It was a chilling thought... and then a random and an even more chilling one followed.


    What would it feel like to command such a force? A shiver ran down his spine. He shook his head, he needed to focus. Now wasn¡¯t the time to daydream about random stuff that did not concern him.


    They descended the staircase, their steps echoing faintly in the depths, and entered a large underground chamber.


    Robed figures awaited them there, some were already chanting in low tones and standing in specific locations in a massive runic circle etched on the floor. A few lonely torches interspersed throughout the room were the main sources of light. And the air was surprisingly fresh, as if Erik was standing outside in the open.


    The young man gawked at the object that captivated his attention... a large glowing seed.

 Chapter 3 - Mirmirsker

    There, in the middle of the chamber, was a well made of dark stone, but suspended just above it was an extraordinary seed of what Erik assumed was some sort of a plant. As large as a human torso, it radiated and glowed softly with an otherworldly presence.


    The warrior pointed Erik toward the well and said in a bored tone, ¡°Go there and pour a drop of your blood in the water, then look into the Mirmirsker. It will begin once you do.¡±


    He then gave the young man a small knife and leaned against the wall, taking a pipe out.


    Erik moved closer and saw that the seed was covered in glowing runes, pulsating in rhythm with the ones on the floor. It produced a low thumping noise¡ªas if it was the beating heart of a wooden giant. Standing in front of the well felt like standing in the middle of a lush forest, he could almost hear the leaves rustling in the wind and smell the grass.


    His gaze moved down toward the calm, dark water that filled the well. Beneath its surface there were small glittering lights, it mirrored the night sky. With the reflection of the seed like a radiant moon in the centre. And akin to the stars, Erik could swear they were a vast distance away.


    He didn¡¯t know how that was possible. And he was very tempted to just reach down and try and grab one, but he stopped himself.


    Holding the knife in his right hand, he looked at his empty left palm.


    By the power of the Exalted... please let me Awaken a High-Grade Talent, he sent a final prayer and decisively slashed his palm.


    His nerves barely allowed him to feel the sting of the blade. He tucked the knife in his belt and held out his palm over the well.


    Frozen in anticipation, Erik watched as scarlet droplets disappeared in the silent depths of the water.


    Nothing happened at first, but then his eyes turned back up to the seed, and he felt his consciousness being pulled out into some otherworldly place. Before he passed out, for the second time that day he felt his medallion heating up¡­


    ***


    The ghost-quiet stillness of a star-filled void was broken by the occasional cracking of skulls and bones, sparsely scattered along a road of dark wood.


    An onyx chariot, pulled by two eight-legged skeletal horses, rolled ominously over them. With twin horns on their heads and glorious manes of teal flames, their heraldry was made more prominent by the dark mist that shrouded them.


    They strode forward, calmly and confidently, as their hooves made a solemn and rhythmic sound.


    Then a vulture with pure black feathers leveled itself beside the young man, who was riding in the chariot and gazing forward with a sense of unease. He knew there was something important up ahead. A decision to be made.


    Waiting to reach the destination, he glanced to the side at the feathered creature next to him.


    This bird again¡­ what the hell is it? And where did it come from? Wait¡­ where am I? Confused, Erik''s mind wandered.


    All of a sudden, a barely audible murmur began to emerge from somewhere. Erik looked around but he couldn¡¯t see anyone. There was also something familiar about it and something... wrong about it.


    Where do I know this voice from? He couldn¡¯t quite place it, but he was sure it was familiar. Like a word at the tip of his tongue that he couldn¡¯t remember. And for some reason, his intuition was telling him that he should not be hearing it, not here¡ªnot in this place.


    Even the vulture seemed to agree with him as it gave out a wary cry.


    Before he could think about it further, the chariot stopped at a fork in the road.


    On the left, the path turned into paved stone. Although he could not quite see the end of it, Erik felt it did not continue for much longer¡ªnot much further than his sight. Somewhere in the distance he could just barely make out the image of a... glowing seed?Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Is that the Mirmirsker?


    Erik wasn''t sure.


    While on the right side¡­ the road was paved entirely by bones, and a veil of darkness covered it after a short distance, making it impossible to see beyond a small initial stretch. He couldn¡¯t sense what lay beyond or for how long it carried on.


    As he stood there unsure of what to do, the vulture flew off into the darkness of the right path. Although the paved road looked like the obvious choice, one of the horses wanted to go on the dark road as well. It neighed and grunted when Erik tried to nudge them toward the left path.


    He took a closer look at the right road and saw that the bird had perched itself on something he could only guess was the trunk of a tree. His gaze followed it down to the ground, and he saw more were sticking out from the sides of the road here and there. He realized the path he had been on so far and the ones going forward, instead of being flat, were slightly curved.


    He slowly turned back, tracing the road, it extended into the horizon behind him. In the vast distance, he could just barely make out the partial silhouette of an unfathomably large tree. Despite seeing it, his mind could simply not comprehend its sheer size. All he understood was that the road he had been traveling on, was one of its branches.


    Erik sighed, and turned back to what was in front of him. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly what decision he was supposed to make, but fate was forcing him to make it nonetheless.


    From the looks of it, the left path seems safer but¡­


    But his gut was telling him to take the right one.


    He knew he didn''t have much time to decide. The feeling of wrongness from the murmur was intensifying, and a sense of foreboding told him he needed to hurry.


    So when the somber caw of the vulture echoed from the darkness, he made up his mind and spurred the chariot toward the right path.


    Just then, the murmurs intensified, and he could almost make out the familiar voice.


    Wrong, wrong¡ªthis is wrong! Erik''s inner voice screamed.


    An impending sense of doom loomed over him, and he knew he had to hurry.


    A vast energy vortex opened far below the roads, threatening to swallow them. But before it could, the vulture let out a loud and resolute cry. It flew high and then dove straight into the vortex like a dark comet, disappearing in it.


    The energy began to destabilize, shooting lightning in all directions and collapsing in on itself.


    Erik spurred the horses as fast as he could and they dove into the darkness of the right path.


    Immediately after, everything disappeared¡­


    ***


    With a start and a pounding headache, Erik woke up on the floor of the chamber next to the Mirmirsker.


    Before he could take stock of what was happening, the large frame of the explorer that had brought him in cast a shadow over him. The warrior was observing him with mild interest. He gave him a quick scan from head to toe and raised a quizzical eyebrow, but then just shrugged, turned around, and motioned for Erik to follow. The others were gone, they were the only ones left.


    The young man was still dazed, not sure of what was happening. He could vaguely remember that he saw the strange vulture again. He was also riding a chariot¡­ and¡­ and¡­


    There were bones¡­ a road made of bones? He tried to make sense of what he saw, but his thoughts were in disarray. However, something else struck him.


    The ritual was over.


    He should have Awakened a Talent. Hopefully, a Prominent Grade one. This was what he had been waiting for all these years!


    Shaking, he slowly looked down toward the back of his hands. Every newly Awakened Talent would be able to see Blood Runes on their body, usually the back of the hands¡ªvisible only to them.


    Unfortunately, Erik saw none.


    He waited with bated breath. Perhaps there was a delay? But that had never happened before, everyone was able to see theirs after the ritual.


    Dread crept up his spine.


    He started flipping his hands over and examining every inch of them, then his arms, but he saw nothing. He yanked his top off along with all the furs, and frantically looked over his chest¡ªnothing. His back? Nothing again.


    He wanted to hope, but he knew¡­ he knew that the Blood Runes were always visible right after the ritual. There had never been any exceptions. If he didn''t have any¡ªit ment that he... he...


    Erik¡¯s mind blanked, and he just stood there in a daze. He wanted to refuse it with every fibre of his being, but the realization that he did not Awaken a Talent came with ruthless, unstoppable force. His stomach turned into a ball of iron, and soul-crushing despair and emptiness threatened to consume him.


    ¡°Come on, boy! I don¡¯t have all night, I want to get to the tavern!¡± The warrior had turned around at the chamber''s entrance and called to Erik. His voice was slightly harsher than before, more emotionless, although he paused, he didn''t look like was willing to wait long. Erik noticed the way the explorer¡¯s gaze lingered on him, as if he understood more than he let on.


    He knows. Unwilling to accept the truth, unwilling to let the world know, unwilling to let it remind him about it. He gathered himself in a daze. Stood up. Got dressed. And followed.


    Erik did not remember how he got outside, only that he was told before he left that he should return within a fortnight to have his Talent logged. Everyone had to do it, since the kingdom needed to make sure each person had gone through the ritual.


    The crowd had dispersed, and a cool spring breeze caressed Erik¡¯s skin. He gazed at the starry night sky with a blank expression.


    What¡­ What am I supposed to do, now? A hollow echo of a thought rang through his mind.

 Chapter 4 - Mausoleum

    While Erik was undergoing his Talent Awakening, Vidar¡ªthe branch leader of the explorers¡¯ guild¡ªsensed that something was amiss.


    ¡°What is this?¡± He rose from his desk and walked toward the window, his eyes scanning the city for anomalies. Nothing apparent stood out but...


    It¡¯s almost imperceptible, but the world essences are agitated... Is someone performing a ritual? This feels like¡­ His thoughts raced.


    ¡°NOREEN! MAGNUS!¡± he called loudly, and after a few moments, a slim woman in simple robes and furs entered, accompanied by a man in leather armor.


    ¡°Yes, branch leader?¡± Magnus queried, in a calm voice.


    ¡°Check the runic enchantments on the guild, and examine surrounding world essences for illegal activity,¡± Vidar ordered.


    Both of them looked surprised and confused.


    ¡°Did something happen?¡± Noreen asked.


    ¡°Someone is performing a High-Rank ritual. I can¡¯t be sure, but they might be targeting someone in the guild.¡±


    The two vice-leaders exchanged a serious look before rushing out to execute their orders.


    Vidar nodded, turning his thoughts back to the young man that was currently in the Mirmirsker chamber.


    He gazed out the window, whispering, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tyr¡­ I¡¯ve done the best I could for your son. From now on, his destiny is in his own hands. For his sake, I hope he doesn¡¯t find out what happened all those years ago¡­¡±


    ***


    Outside the explorers¡¯ guild, Erik saw Taron waiting for him.


    ¡°Hey, what happened?¡± his friend asked, his voice tinged with concern. He knew him too well and could probably sense that something was wrong.


    ¡°N-Nothing¡­ I-I¡¯m just tired.¡± Erik forced a smile. He didn¡¯t want anyone to know yet. If they did, it would become real.


    Taron gave him a skeptical look, but seemed to come to the wrong conclusion. ¡°It¡¯s alright, brother. Getting a Low-Grade Talent isn¡¯t the end of the world.¡±


    His friend tried to cheer him up in his own way, but that just made him feel worse. Taron probably didn''t ask what Talent he had Awakened to avoid making things worse, which was fine with Erik.


    ¡°I¡¯m going home to rest. I¡¯ll come see you one of these days,¡± he said, eager to get away as quickly as possible.


    ¡°Alright, rest up. Come by anytime if you want to talk,¡± his friend replied, and they parted ways.


    Stumbling through the streets of Skulheim in a haze, Erik did his best to avoid people.


    The city was in a festive mood, and any tavern he passed was filled with laughter and singing. The older generation¡ªthose who had Awakened their Talents, often referred to as Talent Holders, or also known as Rune Bearers or Refiners¡ªput on dazzling displays for the crowds, using their Abilities to entertain.


    Some launched massive fireballs into the sky, painting it with brilliant colors. Others performed intricate water displays, while a few sang with captivating voices that could have moved even the most hardened warriors. All around the city, similar scenes were unfolding, but Erik found it suffocating.


    He couldn¡¯t remember how, but eventually he found himself standing in front of his house. He stared at the front door, lost in a trance. What could he tell his parents? He couldn¡¯t go inside.


    He walked over to a barrel by the door to splash some water on his face. Maybe that would help. Just before he did, though, he paused to look at his reflection in the dim light.


    A young man stared back at him, but one who seemed to have aged by several years in just one day. His raven-black hair fell in untamed waves, framing an angular face with eyes as dark and fathomless as a moonless night.


    His life had seen its share of ups and downs, but mostly downs, and it showed. His thin physique and average height made him quite unassuming among his peers.


    He stared at his reflection, bitterness creeping into his thoughts.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Me... an Ulednar? What a joke!


    Why had he ever believed he could do it? Maybe it was just a dream, but it was one that had given him strength and purpose over the years. He couldn¡¯t help but remember when that dream first took root.


    And a distant memory of his parents surfaced in his mind¡­


    ***


    Sitting on the grass in front of a small log house, a young boy was drawing runes on paper or at least trying to.


    His parents were close by. The father was engraving intricate runes on a massive stone slab. And the mother was flipping through a large book. A day like any other for them.


    All of a sudden a low thudding sound, like a distant drum, echoed through the air. The child thought a parade was about to start in town, and excitedly looked towards his parents. But their faces were serious. Confused, Erik wondered why¡ªparades were supposed to be fun!


    Horns blared all around. And in a flurry of motion, his parents took him to their neighbor¡¯s house. Some had already gathered there, including Erik''s close friends. He didn¡¯t know what was happening, and fear began to creep in.


    His father set him down inside the house and spoke in a calm but serious voice, ¡°Erik, stay here and listen to Freya''s mother. We¡¯ll be back later.¡± They both gave him a hug and kissed him on the forehead. Then disappeared in the blink of an eye.


    Erik rushed to the window where everyone was. They were looking through it with frightened expressions and whispering to each other.


    Then he saw it too.


    In the distance, out there in the forest not far from the edge of town, explorers and soldiers were battling a massive, dark, bellowing figure. They were like pesky little flies around a dog¡ªonly managing to make it angrier. Erik couldn¡¯t imagine anything being able to take down such a behemoth.


    Primal fear gripped him.


    Out of nowhere, a figure leaped at the creature. Erik recognized the long blond hair and black armor of his father, who slammed into the monster and sent it hurling backwards with ease. His eyes widened. He knew his father was strong, but this was the first time he saw just how much.


    It struck him like thunder. His dad was incredible!


    Then the boy saw his mother¡¯s long black hair and green armor, as she rose above the trees on wood and vines. She waved her spear, and the forest grew and came to life, diving for the creature and restraining it. The pitiful monster struggled to free itself but couldn¡¯t budge. Erik had seen his mother move grass and trees before, but he didn¡¯t know she could control so many plants.


    She was maybe even more incredible than his father!


    ¡°Thank the Exalted we have two Ulednar in our town,¡± one of the neighborhood moms said.


    ¡°Yeah, with them, the Nilgrim will be taken care of,¡± an old grandpa added.


    Erik looked around from the adults to his friends, Taron, Freya, Sivfrid and Halmund. They were all watching with wide eyes and the same look¡ªa look of awe and admiration.


    The young boy turned his gaze back to his parents, who now stood above the motionless monster. They were tall and radiant, towering over all others.


    ¡°Ulednar¡­¡± the boy mumbled under his breath, his admiration for them soaring to new heights. In that moment, he decided he wanted to be just like them when he grew up.


    ***


    Even after all these years, he vividly remembered the birth of his dream.


    How simple-minded was I? Erik could practically taste his ignorance.


    Trying to shake it off, he splashed his face a few times. The cold water sobered him slightly, but it only made things worse.


    Unsure of what to do, he turned his gaze toward the large graveyard and the log house on the other side of it. The kind face of Dvalin, the long-bearded old man, flashed through his mind. He had been a guardian and a mentor over the years, guiding him and supporting him. Erik wasn¡¯t sure how he could face him now. He didn''t want to disappoint him.


    Trying to keep himself from falling apart, he stood there, marooned in his thoughts.


    He didn¡¯t know how long he was there, but the distant caw of a bird and a pale light drew his attention. At the far edge of the graveyard, near its intersection with the forest, a soft teal glow emanated from a small building.


    Erik knew that section of the graveyard well. I¡¯ve never seen anyone visit that area¡­ and at this time of night? That was strange.


    And that bird call¡­ At this point, he wasn¡¯t sure if he was hallucinating it or if it was real.


    He decided to investigate, and slowly made his way through the graves.


    Wooden swords or staffs were embedded in some, while others had herbs scattered across them. The burial customs of different clans varied, and Erik had learned most of them. He knew who was buried recently and he could tell who had visited them not too long ago.


    The closer he got to his destination, the more broken and decayed the graves became. Some were covered in a thick layer of vegetation, with the runes indicating who the person was no longer visible.


    Is it getting colder? Erik thought as he slowly walked through the mist that clung low to the ground.


    He finally reached the source of the soft light. It was an old mausoleum, overgrown with vines that nearly concealed the white marble structure. The inscription above the door had long ago faded under the relentless tides of the seasons.


    His gaze was fixed on the half-open door of the mausoleum, barely hanging on its hinges. It was a wonder it hadn¡¯t collapsed entirely.


    The pale glow was coming from inside.


    Alright¡­ I¡¯m most likely not imagining this, Erik thought, conflicted. The events of the day had already drained him emotionally, and he struggled with what to do.


    Well, at this point, what do I have to lose?


    He slowly pushed the door open, mentally cursing at the loud screeching sound it made. But his irritation vanished as soon as he saw what lay inside.


    In the space between two stone coffins, an ethereal, transparent teal egg hovered in the air. It was the size of a fist, and it seemed to be drawing some sort of energy toward itself.


    Erik stood, mesmerized by the scene. Barely visible runes were inscribed on the egg, but their meaning escaped him.


    His hands and legs shook slightly, and he told himself it was from the cold. He had half a mind to run away and inform someone about what was happening, but his curiosity held him in place.


    In the next moment a soft cracking sound echoed through the mausoleum. Then another. And another.


    Finally, the egg cracked open, and a small vulture flew out.

 Chapter 5 - Gift

    It was the same one Erik had seen in his nightmares and visions¡ªonly smaller. It seemed¡­ younger?


    Unsure of what to do, he waited to see what would happen. Despite everything, he didn''t feel any ill intent from the creature.


    The small vulture landed on the ground, blinked a few times and looked around. Its gaze settled on Erik, and they observed each other for a long moment.


    It gave a soft croak, but didn''t do much else.


    Erik took a deep breath, steeling himself. Then, with careful steps, he moved forward and knelt before the bird. He opened his hand, inviting the creature. He tried to make his posture and gestures as non-threatening as he could. Still, he didn''t manage to keep the slight trembles of his hand at bay.


    After a heartbeat, the little feathery-thing hopped into his palm, it was light as a feather. Maybe it didn''t weight anything at all. The little vulture locked eyes with him for a brief moment. It was as if it were trying to gauge him, but he couldn¡¯t tell what it was thinking. Then it pecking him lightly, before dissolving into a swirl of teal mist that seeped into Erik¡¯s body.


    The peck, however, struck like a hammer blow.


    Erik doubled over and crashed onto the dirt-covered stone floor, clutching his left forearm.


    His entire body felt as though it had been plunged into ice¡ªso cold it burned. His muscles spasmed, uncontrollably. The pain reached deep into his bones, even deeper into his very being, as if his entire existence had been consumed by burning ice.


    It was so overwhelming that coherent thoughts eluded him. His wide-open eyes stared into nothingness as his mind drifted between the waking world and unconsciousness, catching glimpses of the vulture and an endless flock.


    Then pain washed away Erik emotions. Nothing outside of it remained.


    Utterly disoriented and caught off guard, he struggled to make sense of what was happening.


    Then, as suddenly as the pain began, it subsided. It didn¡¯t disappear completely, but it eased into a mild headache.


    Breathing heavily, Erik sprawled on his back, staring up at the ceiling.


    ¡°D-Damn bird¡­ haa-haa¡­ what¡­ what did you do to me?¡±


    He had never experienced so much physical pain, even when he had gotten in the fights on the streets over the years.


    It took him a while to get his breathing under control and somewhat come to his senses a little bit. With what little strength he had, he unclipped his water flask from his belt and took a few sips. The water felt boiling hot and he spit it out at first, but he managed a gulp down a little.


    After some more time past he regained some of his strength.


    Lifting his right hand to inspect where the bird had pecked him, he froze and his pupils dilated.


    On his forearm, just above his wrist, was a small Blood Rune in the image of the little vulture.


    And then at that moment, he felt it¡ªa connection with the bird.


    His mind whirled.


    Struggling, Erik propped himself up against one of the stone coffins.


    Taking a closer look at the Blood Rune, he tried to piece together what was happening. Then it was as if a forgotten memory had resurfaced, vague images and intentions flooded his mind, offering him glimpses of something beyond his understanding.


    Erik couldn¡¯t fully comprehend it yet, but he knew one thing for certain¡ªhe had not received a Talent. This was something different.


    A¡­ a Gift?


    This baffled Erik completely.


    Although rare they were not unheard of.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    What puzzled him was that they were obtained by killing monsters. And he had done no such thing.


    Even more puzzling was that he was not a Talent Holder. Only they had the capability to carry and wield Gifts and Blessings.


    Erik probed the bond with the small vulture, and it emerged in a swirl of teal mist. It landed on the ground and chirped a few times as if trying to say something.


    He was captivated by the little creature.


    Gifts were an imitation of the being that was killed, with all of their abilities at the time of death. And it was believed they were created by Nelum. Both a natural occurrence and a gift to the one that did the deed. They had the capacity for limited self-direction, but did not possess a soul, and thus were not alive.


    The vulture jumped in his lap, and pecked him a few times on the chest, chirping in what sounded like a warning tone.


    Those pecks would have made Erik jump after what he had just endured, but he lacked the energy to react. Thankfully, nothing happened.


    The little bird kept chirping a few times and slowly Erik was starting to suspected it was trying to convey something, but he was struggling to make sense of it.


    He tried to staring at the Blood Rune to glean more information from it, but nothing else came to him. Maybe it was because he was not a Refiner that he couldn''t learn more, he wasn''t sure.


    His gaze then moved to the vulture again.


    "What is it little guy? What do you want to show me?"


    This time he tried probing the vulture through their connection.


    Then, something strange happened. Erik¡¯s vision went black for a moment only to return, but this time he was looking at himself¡ªas if through someone else¡¯s eyes. He looked ragged and exhausted.


    ¡°Is that¡­?¡± he muttered and watched as his own mouth moved.


    His eyes then opened wide in shock, and they were glowing with a teal glow. The experience was surreal.


    He had never seen himself from the perspective of another being. He lifted his right arm and waved and saw himself do it.


    Then the vulture shifted its sight, showing him more.


    He saw that throughout his body there was teal mist, and as he watched, it began to shrink ever so slightly.


    Is that... essence?


    This was the type of energy that permeated everything. All beings were made from the three main types of essence. And it was also what Rune Bearer''s used to power their Abilities and Skills. And even though it was in small amounts even normal humans had some.


    Is my essence being consumed?


    Before he could examine the situation further, his vision snapped back to his own body. And a bout of intense headache assaulted him. Erik gritted his teeth through it and slowly it subsided, but now it left a more persistent ache than before. He felt even more drained than before.


    "What is happening?" Confused he looked at the little vulture.


    Then it came to him. If he was right, then he wasn''t really suppose to have this... Gift.


    Refiners, regardless of their Talent or which essence they wielded, possessed stronger bodies and souls than normal humans. A regular person was too weak to bear the weight of a Gift¡ªwithout that strength, his guess was that he was dying. Most likely his essence was being consumed to compensate and keep him alive.


    He groaned.


    Could nothing go his way? Everything was going from bad to worse today. He had failed to Awaken a Talent, and now this Gift made things even worse.


    Overwhelmed he took a deep breath and tried to gather his thoughts.


    Should I give it away? Was the first thing that crossed his mind, but his instincts screamed that it was a bad idea.


    No matter what Rank and Grade it was, Gifts were rare. And he had no idea what someone more powerful would do if they found out about it.


    He wasn''t willing to risk betting his life on the good will of some stranger. Or that the law would protect him¡ªhe had no backing. Besides, he could feel that he was deeply bonded to vulture. He didn¡¯t know if it was even possible to sever that bond safely.


    He sighed.


    Exhausted and overwhelmed, his mind emptied of all thoughts as he stared at the stone coffin in front of him with hollow eyes. It took him a while to notice the faint inscription on its rim, barely visible in the moonlight.


    It was the same one he had seen earlier next to the tapestry of Bjorn. These were the words of the Exalted.


    A small light flickered back into Erik¡¯s eyes.


    These words again¡­


    Suddenly, he grew curious about the mausoleum and those who rested here. Slowly, he stood up on shaking legs and walked over to the stone coffin. He swept away the dust, dirt, and vegetation from its surface. And the simple carved runes of the deceased revealed themselves.


    Here lays Bjorn Skuljar.


    Erik eyes widened. He wasn¡¯t expecting to see the resting place of this great figure here in this corner forgotten by time.


    "Then who is in the other one?" he mumbled to himself.


    He went back to the one he had been leaning on and cleaned it as well.


    What he saw left him surprised, to say the least.


    Here lays Murin, son of Bjorn Skuljar. A true warrior who used his powerful Talent to hold the onslaught of Nilgrim at bay.


    "That¡¯s Bjorn¡¯s son? Wait... he Awakened a Talent?"


    Erik recalled the story of Skulheim''s founder and slowly, a thought began to take root in his mind. Maybe Murin just went through with the Mirmirsker ritual or maybe... he Awakened by entering a Whisper.


    Can someone really do that? Can they survive?


    Could Freya have been right about that? Recalling the stories she had told him, fragile hope dared to bloom within him. It had always seemed absurd to him. Even if some of the accounts were true and a person could Awaken by entering, it would still be borderline suicidal.


    And why would anyone risk their life when the Mirmirsker provided a safe way to Awaken? But perhaps, if one was truly desperate¡­ like him¡ªbecause he definitely was¡ªthen they would venture into it.


    ¡°Maybe it''s possible...¡± he whispered.


    And the more he thought about it, the more the idea began to take root in his mind.


    ¡°It has to be.¡± He exhaled sharply, as if saying it aloud would make it true.


    New resolve sparked in Erik¡¯s eyes. He knew what he had to do.

 Chapter 6 - Preparations

    Erik sighed as he read through the passage from the book in front of him.


    ¡°Well¡­ that settles it. I guess I don''t have a choice.¡±


    Last night, after the events in the mausoleum he dragged himself back to his small cabin and collapsed onto his bed, deciding to start working on his problem first thing in the morning.


    When he woke up, he set out to do just that. He spent a quarter of his savings at the city library, searching for any information on Talent Awakenings inside Whispers and details on Gifts. Although findings were scarce, he uncovered enough to give him the hope he desperately needed.


    Several stories mirrored Murin¡¯s, hinting that Awakening a Talent by entering a Whisper might actually be possible. Some isolated societies, like the ancient tribes in the endless swamplands, supposedly used this method instead of the Mirmirsker ritual. But there were very few accounts of them.


    Erik also noticed that the Exalted¡ªthe only ones who had manage to develop their Talents to the Eight-Rank¡ªshared mysterious pasts. He began to suspect that all of them might have Awakened by entering a Whisper.


    As for Gifts, they were rare indeed. And it was hard to find anything about them in general. On top of that the city¡¯s library was small, so he was grateful that there was anything at all.


    However, despite their rarity he suspected that there were likely many other instances of individuals wielding Gifts, then what was recorded. Erik guessed that many probably hid theirs to avoid drawing attention and rarely talked about them. After all, information was power.


    It showed in the descriptions, as all of them were from observers¡¯ perspectives or vague rumors.


    He found out that Gifts had various powers and effects. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what his own could do and feared experimenting, in case it worsen his condition. The only thing he could say for sure was that his Gift had something to do with sight or death.


    However, the vital information he was looking for, was of any records depicting what happens when a normal human comes into the possession of a Gift.


    And luckily for him, there was one which spoke of exactly this situation. A record left behind by an explorer.


    Erik read it twice to make sure he didn¡¯t miss a word.


    Reflections of Kormak Steelhammer from the Fourth Age, Era of Peace, During the Reign of the Innocent Soul Exalted Sage.


    What a day! I never dreamed I¡¯d have a chance to meet with the Exalted. I still can''t believe it. Through connections and a stroke of luck, I was granted an audience.


    Her presence hit me like a tidal wave the moment I stepped into her hall. I could tell she was holding back, but it overwhelmed me regardless. What a day¡­


    The explorer¡¯s account rambled on about the Exalted¡¯s awe-inspiring presence before reaching the part that interested Erik.


    ¡­But I wonder what strength she would have wielded if she had also embraced Gifts. A pity¡­ rumor has it she came across many, but due to a tragic history with her younger brother, she harbors a deep disdain for them. None close to her possess Gifts either.


    It¡¯s unclear exactly what happened, but her brother died after bonding with a Gift before he Awakened a Talent. Gifts can generate their own energy and don¡¯t require any from the Talent Holder, so I am guessing no one thought twice about it. They assumed the young man would live a long life and have a bright future. Who would have thought the soul of an ordinary person, Unawakened, would be too fragile to bear a Gift? Tragic¡­


    This confirmed Erik¡¯s own conclusion. Without a Talent, his Gift was killing him. He needed to Awaken one to survive, and entering a Whisper seemed to be his only option.


    He also managed to find an account written by one of Bjorn¡¯s men after the return of his son from the Whisper. It confirmed that he had Awakened after entering, but Murin hadn¡¯t said much about the experience except that it was incredibly difficult and involved pain like none other.


    Sighing, Erik closed the book and stretched.


    ¡°Lad, time¡¯s up. Out.¡± The librarian¡¯s firm, quiet voice made him jump. He hadn¡¯t heard her approach.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    He gathered his things and headed for the exit, weaving through the narrow shelves of dark wood, packed with books and scrolls. Normally, the library would be bustling with new Rune Bearers researching Talents similar to their own, deciding how to develop theirs. But on the morning after the Awakening, most of the city-folk were hungover from the celebrations, leaving the city quiet and sluggish.


    As Erik stepped out, sunlight assaulted his eyes, making him squint. He nearly ran into a group that was heading into the library, but got his bearing and moved to the side of the entrance before a confrontation could arise.


    He recognized them¡ªthe same noble from yesterday that had forced him into the river. He was accompanied by four of his guards, who all appeared to be the same age as him. They all bore the blue crest with the snow fox.


    The tallest one among them had a lean physique, with a bow and quiver strapped to his back and long blond hair neatly tied into a single long braid. He leaned in to whisper to the noble, but Erik still caught some of the words.


    "...Lord Yaren, are you certain he left it there? We risk failing if we spend too long looking for it."


    "He did. I am sure of it, Orik." The noble paused and then added. "Make sure you thoroughly scour any information about him... we don''t have a lot of time."


    Then one of the guards a red-haired mountain of muscles with massive double headed battle axe strapped to his back noticed Erik on the side of the entrance.


    ¡°Hey! Ain''t that the whelp from yesterday... Is he intent on getting in our way?" He then smirked and continued, "Lord, should I teach him a lesson?¡±


    The other two guards snicked at those words.


    But the noble¡¯s gaze remained fixed on his goal. He did not spare Erik a glance and spoke decisively as he marched into the building. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time on a nobody, Lark. Focus on the task.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Yaren,¡± the guard replied, dismissing Erik as if he didn¡¯t exist anymore.


    He felt anger rise in his chest, but just gritted his teeth and held his tongue. Picking a fight with a noble and his guards was a mistake he couldn¡¯t afford. And he had a lot more pressing things to worry about.


    After the group entered the building, Erik set off down the street toward the market, thinking through his next moves.


    Whisper''s were believed to be naturally occurring phenomena created over time by Nelum. They were not everywhere and it was not easy to find out. And to survive, he needed to find one.


    The guild had information on the ones near Skulheim, but only the explorers, nobility, and the governor had access to it. Without that privilege, he had to rely on what little he found in the library.


    There were three of them near Skulheim that were at the First-Rank. So he had to choose between them.


    For a moment, he had considered asking Taron for help but dismissed the idea. His friend would probably insist he abandon the Gift rather than risk his life. And if Erik were honest, he would have still ventured into one for the chance at a Talent, even without the Gift... probably.


    Two of the Whispers were unsuitable for him based on their environments and what he would face inside.


    Luckily, the last one seemed manageable.


    Though, for some reason this was an old one that nobody had conquered. Erik assumed it was avoided due to its environment, which was part forest and part swamp sparsely populated with strange creatures. Perhaps the swamp''s smell was the reason why everyone avoided it, which would let him attempt it in peace.


    He wasn¡¯t sure what would happen when he entered the Whisper to Awaken a Talent, and the danger of having his Gift exposed made him wary. So this actually made it more appealing.


    There was another reason.


    Sorry, Taron.


    He felt a little guilty because he had chosen the same one his friend had. And despite his friend¡¯s plea, it was ironically his own words about the Whisper that had convinced Erik to pick it.


    And that was the condition for leaving it. A Whisper Tree served as the portal out, so he wouldn¡¯t have to kill any powerful abominations to leave or accomplish any ridiculous tasks.


    By the time he arrived at the market, the place was bustling with its usual traffic. Merchants eagerly targeted the young Rune Bearers, hoping for high profits. But Erik¡¯s years of surviving on his own had made him shrewd, and this was one of the moments where it would pay off.


    His parents had taken him camping a few times in his childhood, so he had a rough idea of what he needed. He expected this endeavor to take at least a few days.


    The first things on his list were a pack to store everything and essentials for shelter. He found a cheap waxed canvas tarp for cover, a wool blanket for sleeping, and a canvas rucksack.


    Although he had most of the clothing he needed back home, he still bought an extra pair of linen undergarments for breathability and quick drying, which helped prevent chafing. He also bought a waterproof cloak made from white fur and an extra pair of high leather boots.


    He added a flint for starting a fire, some salt, and dried meat and herbs. He already had a few wooden utensils, a small pot, a hatchet, and a knife back in his cabin, covering most of his cooking and fire needs. He also picked up some alcohol, a needle, threads, and bandages for wounds, which he hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to use.


    Getting everything and haggling took most of the afternoon. By the end of his shopping spree, a quick look at his coin purse gave him a small fright.


    It was nearly empty.


    Even if everything went smoothly from here on and he returned with as a Talent Holder, he would barely have enough money for food for a few days.


    Just as Erik was leaving the market, he ran into one of the local gangs that regrettably he was not on good terms with. There was too much unfortunate history between them. A few years back, he had been part of their group, but he had to part ways with them after an incident.


    He cursed quietly under his breath, although he suspected he would run into them around the market he still hoped to avoid them. He didn''t have time to deal with it right now.


    The young woman at their lead had lively green eyes and golden-blond hair that stood out beautifully against her sun-kissed skin. Her toned body and the few scars she bore from past scuffles only added to her character.


    He knew her well, it was his other childhood friend, Freya.

 Chapter 7 - Running out of time

    "Look who it is! The cockroach is skirting around the city again!" Said one of the younger gang members and the others snickers.


    Erik just kept quiet, he almost remained impassive, aside from his jaw tightening.


    Freya sighed. ¡°You guys go ahead with the plan. I¡¯ll catch up.¡±


    "You sure about that, Fee? Leaving ya with this one might be trouble."


    ¡°I said I¡¯ll catch up. Now go!¡± She said with slight annoyance.


    The gang members grumbled but made their way into the market. They didn''t forget to throw Erik dirty looks and some even spat on the grown. Still, he kept his face expressionless as he watched them go.


    When it was just the two of them, he and Freya exchanged a glance before heading toward a side street for a bit of privacy.


    When they were alone, both relaxed a little and shared a hug.


    ¡°I am sorry I couldn''t stay to see you yesterday... what Grade Talent did you Awaken?¡± she asked, excitement brightening her expression.


    Seeing her reaction, a bitter taste rose in Erik¡¯s mouth.


    Yet, he also felt a bit touched that it hadn¡¯t even crossed her mind that he might not Awaken a Talent.


    ¡°That''s alright," he said, then forced a smile and added, "I got a Prominent Talent.¡±


    Erik was proud of himself for keeping his turmoil hidden. Lying to her wasn¡¯t easy, but it only strengthened his resolve. He needed this lie to eventually become the truth.


    He¡¯d thought about asking Freya for help as well, but things were even more complicated with her than with Taron, so he decided against it. For now, it was best to keep her in the dark and undertake this alone.


    ¡°Yes! I knew it!¡± She smiled radiantly and hugged him tightly.


    ¡°What about you, Fee?¡± he asked, hoping to steer the conversation away from himself.


    She frowned slightly, but then smirked and said proudly, ¡°A Prominent Talent as well.¡±


    ¡°Wow! I¡¯m so happy for you, Fee.¡± Despite his own situation, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. They had grown up together, and considering everything she had been through, she deserved something good. She deserved to be in control of her life. And getting a Talent with a good Grade would definitely increase her chance to do so.


    There were Eight Grades: starting with Ordinary, then Uncommon, Refined, Prominent, Great, Exceptional, Superior and finally Peerless. And if a person actually wanted to achieve something in their life they needed at least a Refined one. With the true elites and those at the top having Prominent or Great ones.


    They didn''t ask the specifics of their Talents as in normal circumstances it would take each new Rune Bearer, a while to get acquainted with it and actually know what they could do.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied with a somewhat forced smile.


    ¡°Erik¡­ let me speak with the others. It might be tough, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll come around.¡± She added this with a hopeful look in her eyes. They had already discussed this... but that was only if Erik had Awakened, as he had hoped.


    Bitterness crept back up in him.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve thought about it, but they can¡¯t have their faith in you shaken. They rely on you, and even more so now.¡± He said this firmly, sounding convincing because he believed it, even if it wasn¡¯t the main reason he refused.


    Freya opened her mouth a few times, wearing a troubled expression, but eventually, she said nothing. The silence stretched between them for a moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Fee. Maybe one day we¡¯ll tell them what happened, but it¡¯s not the time yet.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I just wish they didn¡¯t treat you like this. If they knew what you did for them¡­ what you did for me¡­¡± she said bitterly, her voice was full of guilt.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It doesn¡¯t bother me,¡± Erik said as lips pursed.


    She didn¡¯t seem convinced but played along with it. ¡°So, what now? Are you going straight to the Ulednar? Maybe we can travel together?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m joining the explorer¡¯s guild first. I need the training before I try for the Ulednar. I only have one shot at it. And I¡¯d rather go through the guild, even if that means I¡¯ll have no backing. At least I¡¯ll keep my freedom," he said.


    Which was what he had decided on... if everything had gone well.


    Then his brain caught up with her last question, "wait... travel together? Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re planning to head to the capital to try our luck. There¡¯s a lot more opportunity there than here.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± They both realized they would likely part ways for a long time.


    ¡°When are you leaving?¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°There''s a caravan that will be arriving in the city soon and it will leave in a fortnight. We will go with them. I was actually going to see you tonight and ask if you wanted to join us.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    "That reminds me. Word has reached me that a noble scion from one of the major clans has come to the city. Make sure you stay clear of him, you know how they are..." Freya said.


    The imagine of the one Erik encountered flashed through his mind.


    A noble scion? So he isn''t a Rune Bearer, yet.


    "By any chance is it the clan with a blue crest with a snow fox?"


    "Yes, why? Have you already gotten in trouble with them?" Her voice raised slightly in alarm.


    "N-no! Just caught a glimpse of them in the city."


    "Oh, alright... my contacts told me that the scion is on some sort of mission that has to do with a Whisper in the area. They scoured the explorer''s guild and the library apparently looking for any information about it and also anything to do with the founder of Skulheim."


    "Do you know why they were looking into it?"


    "No idea..." Freya shook her head.


    I should probably ask her about Awakenings inside Whispers? She is the person I know that knows the most about them.


    "Maybe he is looking to enter one for a Talent?"


    "Are you mocking me? You never believe in those legends before."


    She then playfully punched him on the shoulder.


    "No-no I would never! But it is strange that a scion will come all the way here looking for some Whisper, maybe there is some truth to it. Have you come across anything about how it happens?"


    Freya seemed a little skeptical about his sudden change of mind, but answered nonetheless.


    "Hmm... I never managed to find out what triggers the process and many of the details are obscure." She said with a frown, but then an enthusiastic spark danced its way into her eyes.


    "However all the accounts say that it begins immediately upon entry. Then there is period where the Talent runes gather essence and slowly take full form. But to complete the process a person has to actually leave the Whisper." She pursed her lips and her face became thoughtful. "Aside from this I couldn''t find anything else about what happens. The rest just seems like complete hearsay."


    I hope it''s not an issue that I am doing it alone. If it''s the entry point of a Whisper, it should be safe.


    "Maybe the noble knows more about it, but it still seems crazy to me. Why would anyone do it?" he said, trying to mask his newfound curiosity.


    She rolled her eyes, "I told you before. This is the way to Awaken the best Talents."


    "Then maybe you should have attempted it," Erik joked with her.


    "Y-yeah..." Freya shifted uncomfortably.


    Then an awkward silence stretched on between them.


    She sighed, then added with a smile, ¡°Well, I know you, and I know you won¡¯t stay here for long. So when you make it to the capital, promise me you¡¯ll come find me before you get into trouble.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t get into trouble, Fee.¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Can¡¯t make that promise.¡±


    She looked like she wanted to say more but hesitated.


    Erik wasn¡¯t sure what it was, but he told himself that if he survived, he would ask her about it. For now, he had to go¡ªhe needed to get some rest because tomorrow would be a long day.


    ¡°I have to go. I still haven¡¯t seen the old man, and I promised to give him the good news as soon as I could,¡± he said, making up a fake reason to leave, already feeling pressed for time.


    ¡°Sure, take care, Erik.¡±


    ¡°You too, Fee.¡±


    They hugged once more before parting ways.


    Although he wasn''t planning on it, surpassingly Erik was glad that he saw Freya. This might have been his last time to do so...


    He headed straight home to pack the rest of his provisions and anything else he might need. By the time he finished, the sun had set. His headache had been intensifying throughout the day, but rushing in the middle of the night was not a good idea. He decided he would enter the Whisper first thing in the morning.


    Since it was still early, he decided to actually visit old man Dvalin, and made his way to his house in the graveyard. A gentle night breeze cooled his skin, and moonlight illuminated his path as he wove between the graves along the familiar route.


    Erik arrived at a log cabin that looked as though it might fall apart any day, yet it had far more runes on it than any other building in the city, maybe just as many as the explorer''s guild. And incense burners hung from every support beam of the roof.


    The young man always thought it had more character than any other place. It also gave him a sense of security. The old man had taken extensive measures to keep his place safe.


    Erik knocked on the door, and waited quite a while before Dvalin finally appeared. He was taken aback by how tired and disheveled the old man looked, even more so than usual. His long grey beard and hair were unkempt, dark circles hung under his eyes, and his clothes were dirty, carrying a noticeable smell.


    ¡°Hey, old man. I came by to check on you and let you know that I got a Prominent Talent¡­ are you alright?¡±


    Dvalin stared at Erik, as if trying to pierce his very soul. He looked both very surprised and oddly angry?


    Probably annoyed I didn¡¯t come by yesterday, Erik thought.


    ¡°Yes, my boy¡­ all good. Congratulations.¡± The old man''s voice was calm, he paused before adding, ¡°Do you want to come in?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but I can''t tonight¡­ I¡¯m actually really tired, and I have a lot of training to start with tomorrow. I am going to be spending the next few days in the guild.¡±


    Silence settled between them, stretching a bit longer than usual. It made Erik uncomfortable for some reason. But he assumed the fault lay with him, and that his ordeals had put him on edge.


    I hope he doesn''t notice...


    The old man just stared at Erik, as if wrestling with some decision. This unnerved him even more, since he¡¯d never seen Dvalin in such a state. Although the old man was usually eccentric, this was a bit much even for him.


    ¡°Are you sure everything is alright?¡± Erik asked again.


    Dvalin waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t overwork yourself. That would be a rookie mistake... are you sure you don¡¯t want to come in? I made loa bird stew.¡±


    Erik felt his vulture rune pulse slightly, and pulled his sleeve down. ¡°No, thank you. But I¡¯ll come back the first chance I get.¡±


    The old man''s expression then eased and become impassive, "alright... make sure that you do. Don''t forget me lad."


    Turning to leave, Erik waved goodbye, his steps a little hurried. Dvalin stood in the doorway, watching until the young man was out of sight.


    The trip back to the cabin was quick.


    As soon as Erik crossed the threshold of his own doorway, he fell to his knees, overtaken by an intense headache accompanied by a stabbing pain in his chest. Then a ringing in his ears making him completely oblivious to his surroundings. It was as if someone had slapped him over the ears.


    By the time it subsided, he was wheezing hard, and sweat dripped into his eyes. Even as the pain dulled, it remained stronger than before.


    I¡¯m running out of time.


    His sense of urgency grew, but he hesitated, a small part of him feeling reluctant as to what he had to do tomorrow. Despite his exhaustion and desperation to enter the Whisper, a part of him clung to the day. He didn''t want it to end. Dreading the moment he¡¯d actually have to do embark on this endeavor.


    Sighing, he looked up and saw that he had subconsciously materialized the little vulture. It was perched on the headboard of his bed, watching him. It cawed quietly, as if encouraging him.


    He had avoided his parent''s figurines because he did not want to face them yet. Not without a Talent. So he focused entirely on his bed.


    With effort, Erik crawled to it and collapsed, falling into a dreamless sleep with his cloths on.

 Chapter 8 - Gravesight

    Erik woke up before sunrise, his pounding headache gotten horse overnight, and now there was a constant stabbing pain in his chest. Any more, and he¡¯d have trouble focusing on anything.


    He felt like he had spent the previous day running himself to exhaustion, only to then drink himself into a stupor¡ªjudging by his current intense hangover-like state.


    With effort he gathered his things, while the little vulture observed him from its perch on the headboard of the bed. Erik had decided to leave it there. He had noticed the previous day, that his condition didn''t appear to be affect by the form the vulture took. Whether it was dormant in the Blood Rune or summoned in its current form, his state continued to steadily deteriorate.


    He wanted to avoid anyone seeing him so he planned to head directly for the Whisper. He unsummoned the vulture before leaving his house, got his backpack full of all the provisions he had prepared and headed out. The darkest part of night had just passed and was slowly being chased away by the coming sunrise. It was enough for him to make his way.


    Skulheim was surrounded by a vast forest on all sides, with its graveyard and Erik''s house situated at its southern point. There was also the vast Draugkeld mountain chain a few hours east of the city. It was a Death Zone, a place too dangerous to be inhabited by humans. All manner of beasts, Nilgrim and Draugr were said to prowl its caves and valleys. And that was where Erik was headed. Thankfully his destination was only in the foothills.


    Before long Erik was trudging through a small trail that led there, which wasn''t hard to follow. Morning birds were beginning to spin their somber songs keeping him company as he hurried as best as he could.


    This region of the forest was famous for its nightly dew. That was because the mountain chain had a heavy mist hanging over it nearly all year round. And during the cold nights fluorescent water droplets accumulated on the leafs of the trees and vegetation. It made for a stark contrast against the bleak plant life, which was also distinct for this part of the world.


    It tinged Erik''s path in soft blue light.


    He almost never got a chance to see it in its full glory and despite his situation he couldn''t help, but think how beautiful it was¡ªand how dangerous.


    Some of the water droplets were of different colors. The poisonous plants changed them to indicate for others to stay away or in some cases to entice...


    As he was walking he saw a motionless lizard that had camouflaged itself on the trunk of a tree. It was observing a beetle, which bathed itself in purple dew inside a cup-shaped leaf of a bush beneath the tree. After a few moment the beetle had grow to twice its size and turned a luminescent purple color, it then spread its wings and took flight.


    But before it got far the lizard moved with lighting speed and ate the insect. It too changed color, which gave it away and a bird swooped in from a branch catching in its talons. The bird tore the lizard apart and ate on the spot.


    It then flew away from the gory scene, where for most part there was only luminescent purple blood left and some remains.


    Slowly, the plant''s roots emerged, and consumed the blood and whatever was left.


    It was a small reminder to Erik that out in wild¡ªlife was ruthless, there were only predators and prey here.


    Erik continued his trek through the forest, getting closer to his destination one step at a time. He figured that it should take him much longer to get there. His slightly shaking legs¡ªwhether from exhaustion or nerves¡ªnearly made him trip a few times at the final stretch.


    To distract himself from what was to come and his somber thoughts he summoned his Gift. The little thing chirped and cawed along with the other birds, but more than anything he noticed that it constantly scanned the surroundings.


    He observed it thoughtfully for a bit.


    "Perhaps I should give you a name instead of calling you bird or vulture all the time," he said.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    It gave a short caw in response.


    Hmm, what would be good name for you...


    "Nightwing?"


    It remained quiet.


    Maybe not... He struggled to come up with anything good.


    "How about Powerbeak?"


    He got a screech in response. It did not like that.


    "Alright, alright! Not this one."


    He then thought back to its powers and where they bonded, and it came to him.


    "... Gravesight," Erik said thoughtfully.


    This time he got a normal croak and could feel a vague sense of approval.


    "Gravesight," he said it again, getting a feel for it.


    "I like it."


    Just then the vulture flew down in front of his face and squawked.


    "What is it?" Erik said, while looking around in alarm.


    The little bird turned its head to the front and stared fixedly at something. After a few heartbeats he barely managed to see it too.


    Out there in the distance at the foot of the mountain was a smoke trail from what appeared to be campfire. It was exactly where the path was headed and where the Whisper was supposed to be.


    Before he proceeded Erik dismissed Gravesight who dissolved into mist.


    He cautiously moved forward, careful not to make too much noise while using the trees for cover. After some time he was close enough to see what was happening.


    There were some people camped at the edge of a clearing, a stones trow away from a peculiar tree that stood in the middle of it.


    But Erik didn''t spare them any further thought as his sight was pulled towards the tree.


    It was barely over a dozen feet tall, however it felt like it stood higher than any of the others around it. It had a... gravity to it.


    As he observed it, the morning light danced around it making its leafs and the single fruit it bore almost shine.


    It felt sacred.


    Then a quiet voice whispered to him, intangible yet familiar. Like a loving parent inviting him to come back home. He had the urge to walk out and embrace the tree.


    "Whoever is out there show yourself immediately," a gruff voice snapped Erik out it. Blinking a few times in confusion he turned his attention back to the group of warriors.


    There were half a dozen of them in white furs and bearing a blue crest with a snow fox. They were from the same noble clan he had been running into. But Erik did not see the noble scion or the younger guards that were accompanying him near the library.


    "Shit!" he hissed.


    He clenched his teeth. Curse my bad luck!


    What do I do now! he frantically though.


    His headache and chest pain were already making things difficult. At this rate by the end of the day he wouldn''t be able to do anything, maybe even die¡ªtime was running out.


    Erik was stuck trying to decide if he stay hidden and see how this plays out or come out. But when two of the soldiers moved in his direction he put up his hands up and came forward slowly.


    "Good morning, warriors." He tried to greet them as friendly as possible. "If you don''t mind, I am just here to enter the Whisper."


    "You can''t. Our lord is in the process of conquering it." Said the same person who shouted earlier.


    The man was middle aged with a scar running diagonally across his face. His helmet was the only one that bore a twin set of curved horns, marking him as the captain.


    ¡°Oi, isn¡¯t this the same kid that got in our way the other day?¡± said one of the guards nearing Erik.


    ¡°Aye, that be him¡­ does he want to beg the lord to join the clan or something?¡± voiced the one next to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd¡­ only those with promise can join! Not just some random street rat,¡± called another one from the campfire.


    ¡°Maybe we should teach him a lesson¡­¡± said the first, a hideous smirk on his face.


    "Enough! Don''t disgrace the clan with some petty squab¡ª"


    In that instant a violent roar shook the surroundings, drowning the voices of the warriors. For a split moment everyone froze.


    "NILGRIM! BATTLE FORMATION NOW! We cannot allow it near the Whisper!" shouted the captain.


    Somewhere up the mountain, the sound of trees breaking echoed down. The guards, all of them Rune Bearers, sprang into action. As one, they moved up the slope to meet it in battle.


    Erik was rooted in place as images of his parents battling one such monster flashed through his mind. There was no way he could face one¡ªand live. He needed to get away from here as fast as possible. He needed to run!


    On instinct he summoned Gravesight, who flew towards the Whisper and circled it ones. It looked back at Erik and cawed, as if approving and encoring him.


    Then his tormenting pain intensified bringing him down to his knees and out his frozen state. His ears ringing and breathing hard he closed his eyes and tried to bring it under control. After a moment he somewhat regained his clarity, but the pain was not subsiding. He glanced at the Whisper, it was only a dozen yards away¡ªhis only hope.


    Gritting his teeth he dashed for it.


    The shouting of the men and roars of the monster were getting closer. By its desperate howls it sounded as if the warriors were winning, but Erik couldn''t afford to wait and see what would happen. If he was caught up in the fight he would die and if the guards won and came back, they wouldn''t let him enter the Whisper.


    And he didn''t have time to find another so he would die anyway¡ªthis was his only chance.


    He dashed for the tree and placed his hand on it just as Gravesight disappeared back into its rune. For a moment nothing happened, rising a slight panic from him, but then an inviting sensation blossomed in him as if he was looking at someone with spread arms waiting for his permission to give him a hug. He gave in and embraced sensation in return.


    Then the world around him disappeared.

 Chapter 9 - First step

    A few images from the vision of the road made of bones and the onyx chariot flashed through his mind, but they disappear almost immediately.


    His sight cleared soon after that.


    Erik found himself standing in a clearing painted in a macabre sight. Two human corpses were on the ground. One was violently mutilated, and the other''s head was completely smashed while the body was covered in black runes that were smoking.


    And that wasn''t everything. Next to them was the torn corpse of some monstrosity.


    There was blood all over the clearing.


    Erik just barely managed to recognize them as two of the guards that were accompanying the noble scion in front of the library. They were the two that hand''t spoken at the time.


    There was a small part of him that wanted to smirk at their misfortune, because of how they all treated him, but the sight disturbed him, it was too ghastly.


    Wha-What happened to them? he thought with rising panic. Would the same fate befall him?


    Before he could figure things out he felt a burning sensation on the back of his hands, and saw the skin was reddening in the shape of a strange runes. And he felt the same around the middle of chest.


    He could also feel his medallion heating up, he glanced down and it was glowing beneath his shirt.


    The pain quickly intensified until he collapsed on his knees. With effort he took out his waterskin and poured some water over his hands and chest.


    It did not help.


    He realized that this had to be the Talent Awakening.


    His gaze swept through the surroundings. The ground was muddy and dark, shallow puddles of water interwove it in a poor man''s patchwork. The environment was something between a forest and a swamp. Rotting, naked trees were all around him, barring him from seeing anything beyond the clearing. But he found what he was looking for¡ªshelter.


    Despite his vision blurring he spotted that one of the larger trees had a hollow in it. He crawled towards it with every ounce of his strength trying not to succumb to the pain and fall unconscious. He was too exposed out here in the open and didn''t know what could come for him.


    Slowing, Erik made his way to it and squeezed through the small hole inside the trunk. The damp and rotting guts of the decaying tree could not faze him at the moment.


    Not wanting to make any loud noises he took off his belt and bit into it.


    Finally, he allowed the pain to overtake him. And a muffled scream tore through his being until his throat was raw. It was worse than the pain he went through when he bonded with Gravesight.


    In a state between wakefulness and dream, he saw glimpses of the same vision. He was riding the onyx chariot through dark mist over a road made entirely of bones. And he just kept going through the unknown.


    He didn''t know how long had passed, but eventually the pain subsided. He lay there curled up into a ball, embraced by the darkness of the hollow. In time his breathing normalized, and he pulled some dried meat from his backpack. He had used it to cover the entrance of the hollow, and it wasn''t too much effort for him to find the food he needed.


    Moment by moment he was starting to feel better and better. Actually, all of his pain was subsiding. The chest pain, and the headache as well.


    As if a cool breeze on a hot day, clarity returned to Erik. A sliver of light had made its way inside, and as he lifted his hands he saw pale, half-formed Blood Runes there on the back of them.


    Erik frozen. Had he actually done it?


    These runes although they took shape from the blood of the person, and were called Blood Runes, were only visible to the Talent Holders themselves. If another person were to look at them, they would only see bare skin.


    What was significant about them was that the ones on the backs of the hands were the Ability Rune and Skill Rune, which were deeply connected and governed by the main Talent Rune. All of these¡ªany runes that a being wielded¡ªwere known as Blood Runes.


    That said, each Blood Rune was unique and only the person to whom they belonged to truly understood them. It was an intuitive understanding, akin to one understanding how to move their own limb. But like a newborn child unable to control them properly, true mastery took a long time. True understanding took practice and time.


    Thus when a person first looked at their own Blood Runes, they would get a vague instinctual feeling of what they indicated.


    When Erik saw his, he knew he wasn''t quite there yet. His intuition was telling him that these Blood Runes needed to absorb essence over time in order for him to truly Awaken his Talent.


    It seems like Freya was right.


    He pulled his shirt up and examined the Power and Talent Runes on the middle of his chest, like the others they were pale and incomplete so he didn''t know what his Talent did, but he did get a sense for its name.


    "Draugr Weaver?" Erik whispered.


    Does it have something to do with the Undead?Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He had no idea what it meant. He had never heard of any such Talents.


    But that was alright, because he would find out in time and because he felt incredible. His headache and chest pain were completely gone. And he felt full of energy and strength.


    Erik concluded that his soul had grown stronger¡ªnot quite at the First-Rank, but no longer purely that of a mundane human. It was now just strong enough to bear his Gift.


    In the darkness of the decaying tree, Erik finally managed to take the actual first step on the Path of Refinement. It would be a long journey, and he was yet to even reach the First-Rank¡ªcalled Enkindled.


    Still he couldn''t help but smile.


    Squeezing his hands into fists, determination burned in his eyes. He was getting closer to his goal. Now he only needed to survive. Survive a deadly Whisper...


    Erik took a deep breath and was about to plan his next move when he realized his throat was parched. He remembered that he had dropped his waterskin in the middle of the clearing where he first appeared.


    Sighing, he moved his backpack out of the way, and crawled out of the hollow.


    Although the sky was cloudy and the light diffused, his eyes blinked, trying to adjust. But in the next moment, he halted.


    In the middle of the clearing, there was the ghastly form of a Nilgrim, feasting on one of the corpses.


    Erik couldn''t see the Nilgrim''s maw as its back was turned to him, but he could hear the horrendous, tearing noises it made, as it fed on one of the dead guard.


    The monster''s fur was a dull blend of faded grays and blacks. It had a similar shape to a massive rat, but far larger and far more grotesque. It was closer in size to a large wolf. It had a long tail and its limbs were gaunt and disproportionate, as though some had grown longer than they should have. And on each of them there were dark metal shackles, that had partially merged with the skin. It looked as if it could barely stay upright, forced down by the weight.


    Even though he could not see all of it, he knew for a fact it was a Nilgrim by the black mist oozing out of it.


    This was Erik''s first time seeing one up close¡ªit made his skin crawl with deep primal fear. But for some reason, perhaps it was his new found strength or his regained clarity, he could still think clearly. It gave him courage.


    He still knew that he could not face the monster in a fight. But he had to get his waterskin back. In this unknown environment, he couldn''t risk being left without clean water.


    He gulped quietly, and slowly made his way forward, careful not to step on any twigs or make any loud noises. His waterskin was a half a dozen feet behind the monster.


    Step by step, Erik made his way. He had to hurry because the Nilgrim was devouring its way through the corpse at a fast pace. He needed to get to his waterskin before it was done.


    The closer he got the more the iron-like stench of blood lay thicker in the air.


    As he neared the Nilgrim, he saw that there was another massive shackled around its neck, pulling its head down and contorting its spine in an unnatural manner. There was also a long gash across its front right leg.


    Then he saw the top of its head¡ªthere was a single Blood Rune that rested on it. The rune gave off a slight sense of power.


    Finally reaching his waterskin, he quickly stashed it away as quietly as possible. He then turned around and made his way back towards the hollow, where he had left his backpack. Hoping to just leave the clearing as quickly as possible.


    Almost back at the tree-line, he was starting to relax. He was almost out of there. But he celebrated too early...


    As Erik was about to pass the first tree, his coat caught on a dry branch and snapped it off. He had been so focus on his footing that he forgot to pay attention to the trees.


    The sickening munching stopped abruptly, and a heavy silence settled for a moment.


    Erik''s heart started beating wildly. He turned his head around, hoping that he hadn''t attracted the attention of the monster.


    But he had.


    At that moment, it turned around and fixed its black eyes on him. There was only madness in its gaze.


    It took only a heartbeat, but the monster bellowed out a roar and dashed for Erik. Even though it was clearly weighted down by the shackles, it was still too fast. He wouldn''t be able to outrun it.


    He fumbled for his hatchet and just barely took out in time.


    Erik swung for the abomination just as it collided with him. The hatched sliced through one of its eyes and broke its momentum a bit as it recoiled from the pain. But it still tackled him and send him flying backwards into the mud.


    The monster bellowed a pained roar.


    Erik groaned at his own pain, but pushed through it, and got back up before it pounced on him again. He evaded to the best of his ability, but it bit into the hemp of his clothing, missing his skin by a hair. It swung its head, and viciously threw him down to the ground.


    Mud and water flew everywhere.


    A moment before it pounced for his throat, Erik manifested Gravesight. The little vulture dove towards the monster at lightning speed. The devious, little bird caught it off guard, and tore out its other eye.


    The Nilgrim reared back and roared, trashing about wildly. For a few heartbeats, Gravesight harassed the abomination as it flew around it.


    Just as Erik was about to jump in and help out, the Nilgrim knocked the side of its head against the bird. It had just barely grazed it, but it was enough to send Gravesight crashing into the trunk of a tree.


    He dissolved into mist.


    "NO!" Erik shouted wide eyed.


    He looked down at his forearm in a hurry, the Blood Rune of his Gift was there¡ªdim and warn out, but it was still there.


    He had survived.


    Gritting his teeth he got up, and launched for the Nilgrim, trying to split it apart. The monster heard his approach and dove out the way.


    They went back and forth. Erik tried his best to kill it, but despite the Nilgrim being slowed down by its injuries, it still managed to evade most of his attacks. He only left a few shallow cuts on it, while it left a gash on the left side of his torso.


    The monster at one point tried to jump on Erik, but it missed him by the width of a feather. That left the abomination open, and Erik sliced its side leaving a deeper cut. It wasn''t enough.


    Still, encouraged by this he lunched at it trying to cleave its head open.


    As if sensing his approach, or maybe by chance, it move to the side in the last moment. Erik lost balance and toppled forward. He fell right on top of the corpse the monster had been eating at the beginning, mostly just the bones at this point.


    Somewhere along the scuffle, they had moved back to the middle of the clearing.


    His hands¡ªnow covered in blood and guts¡ªscrambled over the bones as he tried to shuffle over them, and away from the Nilgrim.


    Teal mist emerged among the remains. Thinking that the Nilgrim was doing something, he began to panic.


    Come on, Erik! Move, move, MOVE!


    He crawled for a dozen feet forward, before turning around. The beast had just stopped trashing and was sniffing the air. A moment later it turned in his direction, and slowly made its way over to him, probably guided by his scent.


    Its maw full of bloody, sharp, and crooked teeth dripped with saliva as it searched for him.


    Erik couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    As the creature crossed over the skeletal remains, he shouted, "Just die already!"


    And hurled the hatchet at its head.


    He missed.


    Cursing himself for his stupidity, he was about to make a run for it.


    Then, out of nowhere, a skeletal hand holding a broken sword rose up from the ground and stabbed the Nilgrim right through the throat and brain.


    Everyone froze.


    The abomination with an open maw, ready to pounce and with a blade sticking out of its brain. Erik still with an outstretched hand.


    A heartbeat later, the creature collapsed. It was dead.


    Too flabbergasted, Erik just stood there with his mouth open.


    "Wh-What?"


    He followed the skeletal arm down, and saw that it belonged to the corpse of the dead guard.

 Chapter 10 - Draugr Weaver

    Before Erik could even grasp anything else about the situation, the skeletal arm collapsed.


    He was having a hard time trying to figure out what was happening. Was this the manifestation of a wild Undead or...


    "Draugr weaver," he whispered, and his eyes widened.


    He looked down at his shaking hands¡ªrough, bloodied, and dirty.


    Was he the cause? Had he stirred the dead? Had he used his own Talent for that?


    Based on the vague intuition he was getting about his Ability and Skill, and the name of his Talent... it was possible. In fact, he was starting to be convinced that this was the case.


    He fell backwards on the ground and stared at the gray, gloomy clouds with a wide smile, which grew with each heartbeat. He burst into laughter, the feeling was exhilarating. He had just started Awakening his Talent and he had already killed a Nilgrim¡ªsomething that he had feared since he was a child.


    This one was far weaker, and definitely of lower Grade and Rank than the one he had seen his parents fight, but it was still a monster.


    How many times did he dream of this moment? How many nights had he stayed awake, imagining how he would do it?


    Granted, it was suppose to be more glorious, and he was suppose to handle it with more valor, and cunning instead of flailing about like the village fool, but he had done it nonetheless! And on top of that he had done it while not being a fully established Refiner.


    He wondered how his parents would have reacted to the news. Would they be proud? He would never know...


    Slightly sobered up from his high, Erik felt a strange sensation, like he was being submerged in cool spring water. Invigorating. Then a thought occurred to him.


    He sat up with groan, he had almost forgotten about his injuries, lifted up his shirt and observed his Talent Rune. It had grow a bit, appeared a little brighter, more intricate and more complete. His gazed moved to his forearms and hands, and it was the same for his Ability and Skill Runes. But he also saw that a new Blood Rune had appeared. When he focused on it, knowledge gently surfaced in his mind.


    Spawned Aberration, Shackled King''s Mischief.


    Huh... so it was this weak, Erik though, as his face fell a little.


    Nilgrim monsters had Ranks and Grades like humans. It being at the First-Rank, Spawned, was expected since Erik was in a First-Rank Whisper.


    As for Grades, the hierarchy among them was as followed: starting with a mindless Aberration, followed by Monster, then Eerie, Fright, Dread, Horror, Terror and finally to the mythical Nightmare. Most First-Rank Whispers were almost always populated by Aberrations and Monsters, rarely with an Eerie or at worst a Dread mixed in.


    Given Erik''s ordeal, he hoped that he might have killed something stronger. However, when he gave it a second thought, he realized that would have been absurd. He was getting way ahead of himself. If it was anything stronger, he would have surely died.


    So he decided to still count this as an incredible achievement.


    The first thing he had to do was to take care of was his injuries. Now that the excitement had passed he quickly became aware that he was wounded and bruised all over. Aside from a bunch of shallow cuts and scrapes, there was the gash on the left side of his torso. It did not appear life treating as it had almost stopped bleeding on its own, but it required attention.


    He was thankful for having the foresight to pack everything he needed to treat his the injuries.


    Overall, he was in a much better condition than he expect to be after his first fight with a Nilgrim. This was most likely also due to his budding Talent. His soul along with every aspect of his body had improved.


    With his injuries tended to he then quickly moved to the most important thing. Rune Bearers acquired one Ability Rune and one Skill Rune at each Rank. And going by the vague intuition he had of the half-formed Blood Runes on the back of his hands, that was the case for him as well. His guess was that it was his Ability that he had used earlier, since they usually required active use while Skills were generally used passively.


    So if he had just used his for the first time, then he definitely wanted to see if he could do it again.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Erik stood up, and walked over to the corpse that had killed the Nilgrim. He wasn''t sure what to do exactly. So he tried to follow what his instincts told him. He lifted his hand, trying to will the skeleton to move. Nothing happened.


    "Awaken."


    Nothing again.


    "Rise?"


    It didn''t move.


    He kept on trying different things, but none of them worked.


    He then thought back to what had happened during the fight, and an idea came to him. Kneeling down he touched the bones, willing them to move. Finally, something did happen.


    Teal mist seeped from his hand and into the remains. He saw thread-like, almost imperceptible, tendrils connect them together. Tiny, teal, sparks flashed into existing inside the eye sockets of the skull. Then it just lay there.


    "Erm... hey?"


    The skull of the skeleton moved and directed its deathly gaze at Erik, not doing anything else.


    "Looked over there." He pointed in the opposite direction.


    Then Undead shifted its sight where Erik was pointing.


    "Wave," he ordered.


    It followed his command again.


    He then told it to get up. The skeleton shook for a bit, but the sparks disappeared.


    It became a pile of bones again.


    Is this it?


    Fighting off the feeling of being let down, he tried it again. But this time he felt lightheaded.


    Wait... I am using my Ability or Skill to raise the Undead and like other Rune Bearers I am using essence to do that. This must be my limit on how many times I can raise one before I need to recover, he though.


    Shaking off the lightheadedness he tried more commands with the Undead, but it barely yielded any different outcomes. Aside from moving for a bit, it didn''t do anything else before collapsing.


    Erik came to two conclusions.


    The first was that, because his Ability and Skill Runes were not fully formed, they were too weak, which led to the creature falling apart.


    The second was that, he could fully command the Draugr he raised, which gave some... interesting things to consider.


    What would his Ability look like if it was fully developed? How far could he take it?


    Although the Draugr was currently really weak and not that useful, he did not want to judge too quickly what his Talent was capable of. Life had been tough ever since he came to Skulheim. And through his experiences so far, although he wouldn''t be disappointed if he turned out to be some sort of melee warrior, he knew he was not cut out to be swinging a sword in the tick of battle.


    His parents had trained and prepared him as best as they could, while he was still a child... but they simply did not have enough time to fully prepare him. Still even back then he remembered that his father struggled to get him to swing his wooden sword correctly.


    So he had hoped that maybe he would inherit some of his mother''s extraordinary aptitude for the mystical practices. Perhaps some sort of Talent to trow fireballs or ice spikes. Raising the dead... well, not exactly what he had in mind, but maybe it could turn into something strong. Even if the Draugr were weak on their own, if he had enough he might be able to make up for it. That is if he could raise more than one, he wasn''t even sure about that.


    The corpse of the abomination had no reaction when he tried to raise it. He guessed that perhaps it did not work on Nilgrim or he could only raise human skeletons.


    He also tried raising the second guard, but nothing happened to it. With this one, Erik surmised that it was most likely too damaged.


    Yet, there were just too many questions and possibilities. To learn more he would have to experiment further when he got the chance to learn more, for now that was all he could manage.


    He looked back at the corpse of the Nilgrim, there was something else he had to do now. Something unpleasant but absolutely vital!


    He went to fetch his hatchet and with a deep sign, he walked back over to corpse of the of the monster.


    Greed crept into his eyes and pushed the reluctance away.


    Each Nilgrim had a Blood Rune that was an Essence Rune, even the lowest Rank and Grade ones. But those needed to be... excavated.


    After a lot of chopping, vomiting and cursing he finally cleaved it out. The Blood Rune had crystallized, giving off a soft white glow. These were often referred to as Rune Crystals, or Blood Crystals.


    When a Nilgrim died, their Power Rune turned into a Blood Crystal. And this was the primary type of currency between Rune Bearers.


    There was a constant need for them.


    A content smile spread across Erik''s face, he barely held himself back from daydreaming about what he could buy with it. However, there was another way it could be used, he could absorb it...


    Normally, it would have been much better for him to sell it, and buy himself gear and tutelage. But given his circumstances, he had to prioritize any possible increases to his strength. So he crushed it, and saw the essence inside turn into mist and seep into his main Talent Rune. Then all three of his Talent Runes¡ªthe Ability, Skill and main one¡ªgrew brighter, becoming even more complete.


    Another gentle, invigorating wave washed over him, melting his disappointment about having to sacrifice the Blood Crystal.


    The Blood Runes of a Talent needed to be saturated when striving to prepare for the next Rank. It varied from one Refiner to another, but it was usually done by killing. However there also another way that tended to be common. It was to use Blood Crystals. So Erik assumed that he could speed up his current essence absorption with the Rune Crystal, and he was correct.


    "Now this is much better."


    I wonder if there would be any changes to my Abilit¡ª


    There was a splashing sound from a few dozen feet away, startled Erik looked around, but realized it was only a branch that had fallen off a tree into a puddle.


    Right... I better leave this place before something comes here attracted by the noise and smell of blood, he though.


    He gathered his things and searched the corpses. But he found nothing.


    The others probably took their rations and anything of value they might have carried.


    Their armors were too damaged, aside from those there was only the broken sword that was left. Erik decided that it would weight him down so he left it.


    He then made his way towards a particularly large tree he saw some distance away. He needed to get a lay of the land and orientate himself.

 Chapter 11 - Lay of the land

    Vidar was reading a report on the latest activities of the explorers when he heard a knock on his door.


    "Enter."


    Magnus dragged his feet into the office looking unusually tired even for him, Maybe I should give them some time off after this, the branch leader though.


    "I came here to give a status report on the investigation of the unusual world essence activity."


    "Go ahead."


    "We examined the wards on the guild and most are intact but... the ones around the Mirmirsker have been affected somewhat." Magnus took a deep breath before continuing. "We are not entirely certain on what the purpose of the ritual was. It could have been something that targeted the Mirmirsker, but given the few minute traces we think it''s the newly Awakened Talents."


    The vice-leader signed and shook his head.


    "This has either been an inside job or someone has managed to sneak in, and tamper with it. Although I don''t think the youths are capable doing anything to affect the artifact, given the number of new people filtering through the building over the last few days, I am leaning towards the latter. Still, whoever did this was extremely skilled... or they''ve been preparing for a long time."


    Vidar''s face morphed into a frown as the vice-leader continued speaking. They sometimes had different youths or their families trying to do strange things to affected the ritual, in foolish attempts to improve their chances. This incident however, was starting to bother him¡ªthere was something off about it.


    "Noreen is not sure if we will be able to make any further headway into pin-pointing the source. The trail was covered extremely well. But we are certain they were either inside the city or in the surroundings."


    Vidar sank deep in though for a few moments.


    ¡°We cannot afford any tampering with the ritual. Until we find the breach in our security, we cannot run it again. Employ the High-Rank explorers to examine the wards, and discreetly start looking into the staff.¡±


    His voice turned cold. ¡°If it was someone on the inside, I want to know who.¡±


    Magnus nodded, then frowned and added, "What about the new Talents?"


    "Use the opportunity when they are registering their Talents to investigate them." He paused before adding. "After you finish looking into the staff, if you don''t find anything with our people start monitoring the new Rune Bearers more actively."


    The vice leader nodded.


    "Thanks. And the other issue I asked you to look into?"


    Magnus leaned forward slightly, and lower his voice a bit, "The noble scion and his company went through the archives looking for any information about a First-Rank Whisper¡ªthe one at the foothills of the Draugkel mountains. As well as anything on Murin and Bjorn Skulheim."


    Vidar''s eyes narrowed.


    The vice-leader asked with in a hesitant tone, "You don''t suppose they are trying...?"


    "No... that Whisper is a death trap. Murin survived it but..."


    The guild leader shook his head.


    ¡°They¡¯re after something¡­¡± he sighed, then said, ¡°Alright, continue. Inform me the moment anything new comes up.¡±


    ***


    Erik clung to the tree¡¯s rough bark, his breath catching as the valley unfolded beneath him. From his vantage point, a swamp and a forest mingled into a haunting expanse, both breathtaking and somber.


    At its heart lay a glimmering lake, its surface dark and still, reflecting the heavy, gray sky like an enormous mirror. To the west hugging the shore of the lake, the jagged ruins of an ancient city jutted out of the earth, their stone remnants clawing skyward as if in defiance of of their fate. Vines and moss had overtaken the crumbling walls, blending the city¡¯s remains with the encroaching wilderness.


    Surrounding the valley were towering mountain peaks, their sheer faces shrouded in a thick, dark mist that clung to the heights like a warning. The mist twisted and writhed unnaturally, casting shifting shadows that seemed to move with a life of their own. Only the northern most peak stood untouched, its rocky summit piercing the clouds like a lone guardian watching over the desolate expanse.


    Behind him, Erik felt the looming presence of the southern peaks, their ominous mist curling on itself. The air was heavy, almost suffocating, and every breath carried the faint scent of decay and damp earth. Surprisingly there was no unpleasant smell, but there was definitely something unsettling in the place. He felt a chill run through him, though whether it was from the cold or something else, he couldn¡¯t say.


    The beauty of the valley was undeniable, yet a weight pressed upon him¡ªa sense of time standing still, of stories untold and secrets buried deep in the mire. It was as though the swamp itself mourned, its melancholic stillness a dirge for something long forgotten.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    After a few moments Erik came back to his sense.


    Strange...


    He did not see any tree he was looking for, which was a problem. He wasn''t sure where it could be, so he would have to explore.


    As he was looking at the landscape, out of the corner of his eye he saw a bolder halfway up the northern mountain peek move. For a moment Erik thought it was a landslide, but when he focused on it, with horror he realized... it wasn''t.


    It was a Nilgrim, the same type as the Shackled King''s Mischief he killed earlier, but much larger. He couldn''t see it in detail due to the distance, but he saw as it shook itself and looked around. Its head turned to the mountain peek behind it and paused, before it turned around and scanned the valley.


    Erik was gripped by fear as he felt its gaze turn in his direction. He quickly hid behind the trunk of the tree as best as he could, and did not dare move a muscle or even breath.


    You''re kidding me! What is this monstrosity!


    He waited until he calmed himself before he took a peek in the Nilgrim''s direction again.


    It was gone.


    Thank the Exalted!


    He eyes roved around the valley, but did not see it. Then a something occurred to him.


    Was that he Shackled King? Erik though it was likely. But if that is the case, then this Nilgrim would be of the Horror Grade...


    And that was extremely troubling, because Horrors were cunning. Unlike the Nilgrim of some of the Lower-Grades, who were consumed by madness. They had Abilities, as well as an Aura of Fear, that petrified those around them. However, the main reason why Erik thought it was of the Horror Grade, was because only they, and those of higher Grades, could propagate.


    How did he get so unlucky? He had never heard of a First-Rank Whisper holding anything more than Fright.


    Didn''t Taron say that it shouldn''t be too difficult to conquer!


    Suddenly, Erik was feeling a lot less guilty about going behind his friend''s back.


    Even if he doesn''t need to kill it to conquer the Whisper, the creature was now roaming somewhere in the valley. What if he came across it? This journey was becoming more perilous by the minute.


    I should keep moving soon...


    The ruins were the closest landmark to him so he decided to head there first.


    He then figured out the best route to get there. It would be a bit of a trek, but it shouldn¡¯t take him more than half a day. He also did his best to try and memorize the valley, and note any potential dangers.


    Just as he was about to make his way down the tree, something caught his attention.


    He turned around and stared closely at the southern peaks, where the dark mist was closest to him.


    But as his gaze lingered on it, he realized that he wasn''t imagining it¡ªthe dark haze was ever so slowly creeping downwards from the peeks, towards the valley''s center.


    Erik''s face became somber, he figured that in a week or two at most, the valley would be fully submerged in the dark mist. And he was sure he didn''t want to stick around to see what would happen.


    It was time to get moving, so he made his way down the tree, gathered his stuff and set off for the ruins.


    Still on edge from the fight, and from the abomination he saw after, every noise made him jump. He was suspicious of every shadow and every rock. But thankfully the physical exertion calmed him down a bit.


    He checked on Gravesight''s Blood Rune and it appeared to have regained a bit of its color. It seemed that the little fellow would be alright.


    Then a thought occurred to him. Since he began Awakening his Talent, he had also began understanding his Blood Runes. Before when he examined his Gift Rune, he gained no further understanding of it. Maybe now it would be different.


    So he gave it a go and observed it more closely, and indeed he did learn something¡ªnew information surfaced in his mind. The name he gave the vulture, followed by its Rank.


    ...Gift: Gravesight


    Enkindled.


    As I though, if its an Enkindled Rank, then Gifts have the same progression as Talents.


    Then he found out it''s Grade.


    Refinded.


    Not bad... Erik though.


    He felt that his Gift had a lot of potential. The vulture wasn''t to be underestimated. The only downside was that Gifts could not develop and grow stronger¡ªtheir power was fixed. But the little guy had saved his life, albeit also endangering him first. So he was grateful to it not matter what Grade and Rank it had, he would cherish it.


    Then some more vague information came up about what it could do.


    Its Skill seemed to improved its sight and allowed it to see some sort of essence. What exactly, Erik wasn''t sure. While its Ability allowed it to share its sight with him.


    He had a lot of questions, but there was no way for him to find the answers here. He decided that the first thing he would do would be to seek out the mentorship of the explorer''s guild if he survived this ordeal. Through them he had much better hope of understanding how to navigate the Path of Refinement.


    He knew that he would need it.


    Learning more about Gravesight gave Erik another idea. Couldn''t he read the runes of his medallion? He had never understood them, there weren''t anything like the common runes.


    He took it out and closely examined the familiar yet strange heirloom.


    There was... something about it, that he didn''t feel before. But he couldn''t quite place it. It didn''t look any different to him and there was no insight that appeared in his mind like with his own Blood Runes. It was more of the feeling he got.


    Given everything that had happened, he was certain that the medallion was not ordinary. However, it came from his parents so it couldn''t be anything bad.


    Signing with slight disappointed that he couldn''t learn anything new about it he continued with the trek.


    The terrain was a little rough to transverse and he had to keep his eyes open. At times the forest transitioned to a swamp, which made it more tedious to get through. It wasn''t just the environment that was slow and arduous, on a few occasions Erik almost ran into more of the Mischiefs.


    After more than half a day he finally stumbled out of the forest and came face to face with the crumbling walls of the ruined city. Up close despite their dilapidated state, they loomed over him. Decaying vegetation had crawled all over them and there were breaches in many places. Though Erik could not tell if this was the due to the hand of time or some massive abominations had reduced them to this state.


    He kept his guard up and listen carefully for any noises, but the deathly stillness of the place gave nothing away, no bird that spun its song and no insect that buzzed around.


    It send a shiver down Erik''s spine. He wasn''t sure he would be able to find the Whisper Tree here or even any clues as to where it could be, but he had no idea what else to do. And this place looked like the only one that could hold some answers as to what befell this valley, and how he could get out.


    Well... there is only one way to find out, Erik though and walked forward cautiously.

 Chapter 12 - Ruins

    After Erik made his way through a collapsed section of the wall, he found himself in a small, dark alleyway. Two story stone houses lined both sides of it, some of which had collapsed rooftops or walls, while others were in ruins.


    Staying still he strained his ears and eyes, but nothing stood out. There was no movement. Slowly he made his way forward, while peaking through some of the windows. Derelict wooden furniture was inside most, and there didn''t appear to be anything of value.


    This is probably the residential district.


    Reaching the end of the valley it opened up on a main road. He peaked on either side but he saw nothing that moved. The road itself cut across the city from south all the way to the heart of it, where a large half-ruined castle stood. Cautiously and keeping to the shadows Erik decided to check it out.


    Steadily he moved down the main road, and a clearer picture of the city''s state unfolded before him. Many of the buildings were in complete ruin, some heaps of rotted wood stood here and there on the road itself, most likely carts and carriages. However something was starting to bother Erik, he wasn''t sure what, but he felt like he was missing something.


    After a while he was starting to close in on the castle, but stopped as he saw a particularly large wreckage of a building. He went closer to examine it and found numerous books among the remains.


    A library? Or some sort of a guild?


    He got a little excited, perhaps he could find some answers here. But after looking through some of the books, they were all completely destroyed. Their insides fell apart the moment he opened them. The pages were far too molded, and the runes far too faded to be legible.


    Still he looked around and noticed that there was smaller building that sill stood, which seemed to have been attached to the larger one.


    Curious the young man walked over to one of the windows and cautiously peered through to vines inside. It was dark and empty, some of the wooden furniture of what appeared to be a living room was overturned, dust and cobwebs were everywhere. There was a small bookcase against the wall, at the far back.


    He decided that he should look into it, maybe these books had survived.


    The front door was unlocked and left slightly ajar. He opened it slowly to make sure it didn''t start creaking loudly and made his way to the bookcase.


    The titles on the books'' spines were faded, but he could still read the majority. Most of these were on common topics. Erik pulled out one on cooking, but unfortunately the runes on the pages were quite faded. Still these books were better preserved than the ones outside.


    He put it back on the shelf and pulled another. It had an interesting title.


    World History: The First, Second and the Current Third Age


    Current Third Age? The current one is the Fifth...


    This book was in the same condition as the others and revealed nothing new. But there were still a few more on history, none of them from anything later than the Third Age¡ªthe Late Antiquity Era.


    Either this person was fascinated by the history of the first three eras or they never lived past the end of the third.


    It seemed likely to Erik that the city had come to ruin during that time. He skimmed through the rest of the titles, but he didn''t find any that could help him.


    Signing in disappointment he turned to leave, but noticed from the corner of his eye something shinny buried under a collapsed staircase. Curious, he investigated.


    After removing the wood that was piled on top of it, what had caught his eye was a wooden chest with metal paddings. Runes were carved on it, but whatever sorcery they preformed had long stopped functioning. Interestingly there was no lock on it.


    He flipped open the lid. Inside was a bundle of modest clothes, along with what appeared to be mementos and family memorabilia.


    Sentimental...


    Whoever lived here, out of everything they had, they had chosen to keep safe the stuff nobody would steal.


    However, he did find something that was of interest to him. Another book, but this one with a metal clasp, and waxed leather.


    No title...


    Flipping it open, Erik was delighted to find out that this one had partially survived. The writing was a bit faded as well, but still legible at times. After scanning the first few pages, Erik realized that it was the journal of the person who was most likely the owner of the house.


    There were a few dates written and he confirmed that this city existed during Third Age. Most of the writing was mundane and personal, the everyday going about of this person. Apparently they were the librarian in the city, which explained the books.


    Erik skimmed through it, and towards the end he found a passage that gave him a better understanding of what happened in the city.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ...The governor''s vile practices are getting out of hand lately. It''s an open secret at this point, most are afraid of talking about it, but it''s palpable in the air how everyone feels about it. Even in our current era, when everyone thinks that the end is approaching, and abhorrent practices are everywhere, it doesn''t justify it. It''s just... sometimes I feel like I''ve been corrupted by the past...


    ...I''ve spend most of my time pouring over ancient text and the history of Nelum. Especially The Dawn of Humanity¡ªThe Golden Age¡ªwith the rise of the first Exalted and then the following reigns of the subsequent two, each one shepherding humans into greater heights, has left me dreaming and wanting of better times... And what have we come to now? Cowering and hoping that HE doesn''t find us and slaughter us...


    There was a part that was scratched out after that.


    ...Instead of banding together to weather these dark times, everyone devolves further into hedonism and barbarity. The library practically has no resources allocated to it. Everything is going towards buying more slaves for the mines or for hunting the local essence beasts. The poor creatures were docile in the wild, preferring to roam under the open sky yet...


    The runes in the following part were nearly carved out erratically on the paper.


    ...the fighting pits are practically full at all times! FULL! And not just with essence beasts... despicable...


    It was followed by a barely legible last line.


    I am losing hope.


    The rest of the writing was too faded.


    Erik sighed in disappointment, as he was unable to glean any information about the Whisper Tree. But what was written made him think.


    Although he did not find what he wanted, he learned a bit more about the potential causes to the downfall of the city. Based on the wild destruction it was most likely the result of the essence beasts going feral.


    But no matter how degraded things had gotten, there should have been Rune Bearers present to contain the situation... mere animals should not be enough to do this. Maybe it was an uprising against this governor? Hmm... I am missing something.


    The Third Age was known as the Dark Era because all three of the Exalted who arose during that time spread chaos and destruction, earning them the title of Fiends. Was the librarian suggesting they were in hiding because of one of them? There were still too many questions.


    He placed the journal back in the chest and made his way to the outside.


    His gaze moved towards the center of the city. There was the castle he had seen earlier, but now he could see that on its west side and placed right next to it was a large circular building. It looked like a fighting arena.


    Those must be the pits.


    Suddenly, Erik was curious. He should take a peek before exploring the castle¡ªhe might learn more about what awaited him in the Whisper. With that in mind, he adjusted his course and made his way toward the arena.


    The building had manny entrances. Ancient columns supported it all along its outer wall. And interspersed between them like guardians that had long overstayed on their duty were crumbled statues of all sorts of warriors and beasts. Like the rest of city the wilderness spread its reach over it as well.


    A large tunnel stretched from the point where he approached. Once, it had likely been the grand entrance to the arena, barred by magnificent doors. Now, it stood wide open, sending him an ominous invitation.


    Seeing no danger he cautiously made his way inside.


    The passage led directly to a large open area. Surrounding it were enough seats for the whole city, in fact...


    Wh-what happened here...


    The stands were full skeletal remains¡ªthousands of them.


    Erik swallowed hard, unable to tear his gaze away from the spectacle. He worked in a graveyard so he was no stranger to corpses and skeletons, but he had never seen so many laid out bare in the open like that. Many of them were facing towards the arena, as if they had been watching it in one moment and then died the next.


    He couldn''t wrap his head around what could have caused this. It send a shiver down his spine.


    Tearing his gaze away, he''d almost seen enough, but wanted to have a quick look inside the large holes before he made his way to the castle. Inching forward he reached the closest one and peeked inside.


    It took his eyes a while to adjust, but to his relief they were... mostly empty. The walls of the pits were reinforced with stone. And on each side there were metal doors. Most of which had collapsed and opened up to what appeared to be underground passages build underneath the arena.


    Inside the pit there were shattered chains everywhere. There were also skeletal remains of what looked like wolf-sized rats.


    It reminded Erik of the Shackled King''s Mischief.


    Although the Nilgrim was far more deformed, while this one looks... so normal. These must be the essence beasts.


    He was mostly sure that the one he fought earlier had come from here. Which made sense, Nilgrim in some cases were originally essence beasts.


    Deciding that he had seen enough, he quickly backtracked and left the arena.


    In a little while he was standing in front of the castle. It was located in the middle of a plaza that all the main roads seem to lead to. Out in the open Erik felt a little exposed, but he did not want to rush things.


    Focusing on what was the castle he saw that signs of its former glory could still be seen here and there, in the intricate facade or the imposing tower that still stood at its center.


    What caught his attention most was a large, striking statue of a female warrior clad in leather armor, standing above the main gate. Her hair flowed down to her thighs. A quiver was slung across her back, and a bow rested in her right hand. Perched on her shoulder were the half-crumbling remains of a hawk.


    Despite the statue¡¯s poor state, Erik felt as though her gaze pierced him¡­ He had no trouble recognizing the figure¡ªand the runes below confirmed it.


    This city was build by the will of Vast Horizons Exalted Sage. May she always watch over us.


    Some of the twelve Exalted had many depictions, their images well known across the world. One would be hard-pressed to find anyone who did not recognize them at a glance.


    Vast Horizons was among those well known¡ªthe third to rise to the Rank of Exalted, the first explorer, and the founder of the guild that had spread across the world. She had expanded humanity¡¯s borders into the wilds more than anyone before him.


    I wonder what she would have though about the state of the city now...


    Leaving any further musing for later, his sight then moved back down to the broken portcullis of the main entrance. The castle was large and although collapsed in places, Erik could not see any other entrances.


    He took a deep breath and entered.


    The halls were desolate, nothing had survived. But when he peek inside the closest room his breath caught in his throat.


    It was full of bones.


    Keep as quiet as he could, Erik continued down the hall, and every room he passed was full of human remains.


    Aside from that, the castle was practically barren. Just skeletal remains everywhere.


    Slowly he made his way through the main corridor, and as he neared what would most likely be the main hall, he stopped dead in his tracks.


    That was because he heard human voices.

 Chapter 13 - Grand hall

    "Lord Yaren, please reconsider. We''ve already searched the whole castle. If we do not find it here we cannot delay further, if¡ª"


    "Murin, definitely left it inside the Whisper. And we will find it." The voice was firm and unyielding.


    Then a booming laugh echoed from the hall, "Relax, Orik! You worry too much."


    Erik crept closer to the large double doors, careful not to step on any bones. They were left slightly ajar¡ªjust enough for him to peer inside the grand hall. Holding his breath, he listened carefully, making sure that his ears had not deceived him. It was the noble scion, and his group of younger subordinates¡ªnow only two left.


    The entrance to the grand hall was on the western wall, while on the far eastern wall stood a stone throne. Between them, scattered skeletons lay among the remains of broken furniture and shattered decorations.


    The vast room was framed by tattered banners, their original emblems long lost to time, hanging from the walls. The late afternoon light poured in from a gaping hole in the ceiling, and through fractured stained-glass windows, casting broken colors across the ruins. The windows depicted warped, timeworn images of long-forgotten warriors braving untamed wilderness and towering mountains.


    As for the trio, they were rummaging through the debris, examining every wall and corner of the room.


    What are they looking for so desperately? Erik thought.


    "Quite, you red-haired baboon!"


    "Why? The city is empty. There''s nothing around."


    "Did you forget what happened to the other two? We don''t know if there aren''t any Nilgrim hiding somewhere close."


    "Bah! It''s their fault for being so weak."


    "The four of us had been handpicked by Lord Yaren. There were not weak. And you would do well to remember that even with all our training and preparation, a Whisper is always dangerous¡ªno matter who you are."


    There was some hushed grumbling afterwards, none of them said anything else.


    Before Erik figured out what to do next, he decided to play it as safe as he could, and leaned down towards one of more preserved skeletons at his feet. Using his Ability, he willed the Draugr to life... well maybe not quite life, but something that could move at least. He wasn''t sure how much help it would be, he had just barely scratched the surface of things he needed to try to find out out what his Draugr could do, but at was better than nothing.


    Also, since absorbing the Blood Crystal, and the time that had passed since the fight with the Mischief, he was sure he could command more strength from the Undead at least.


    In a heartbeat, small teal sparks ignited in the hollow skull, the Draugr then focused on Erik.


    "Stay here," he whispered.


    Just as he was thinking how to handle this situation, the one called Orik spoken again.


    "Lord, could you tell us a bit more about the artifact? You''ve only told us to look for something that stands out. Maybe if we know more, we might be able to find it quicker."


    The noble scion didn''t say anything for while and seemed that he would just ignore his subordinate. But surprising he answered.


    "Bjorn was secretly part of a powerful cult, and through that connection he obtain something that few others can. What he gave to his son... was a fruit from one of the Elderines."


    Both subordinates stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at the noble scion with wide eyes.


    "Seriously?" The red-haired guard said, seemingly forgotten how he should address a noble.


    Yaren just gave a subtle nod, prompting the brute to whistle.


    "I am not completely certain what it would look like, but it should be something like a normal fruit, yet one that stands out."


    The two subordinates seemed to know the value of such a thing, and from their looks they now understood why the noble was so focused on looking for this fruit. However, Erik had only heard that the Elderines were mythical types of plants, he didn''t know exactly why it was so important.


    ¡°Lord! Come see this,¡± Orik called out from beside the stone throne at the far end of the hall.


    The other two hurried over, and after a few heartbeats, the blond-haired archer pressed something behind the backrest. A few moments later, the stone throne started moving to the side. It reveal a short staircase going down into small room.


    Erik could barely make out the interior from his vantage point, but what he saw filled him with unease. Jars lined the walls, stuffed with dead insects and preserved organs, their shapes distorted in murky liquid. Skulls of the rat-like essence beasts were interspersed between them, their hollow sockets seemed to watch them.


    It appears like the governor was hiding a lot more than the librarian knew about, Erik thought.


    Even the trio felt the same way, as they made sounds of disgust.


    "Lord Yaren, allow us to check it out first to make sure it''s safe," Orik said and stepped forward.


    The one called Lark grunted, but followed without saying anything. Nothing happened as they descended the stairs. However, the moment the archer stepped onto the floor of the hidden room, a pulse of translucent energy reverberated through the space, passing through the walls and continuing outward.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Everyone froze, Erik hoped that they hadn''t attracted the attention of something hideous.


    Then, multiple screeching howls echoed out from across the city.


    "Shit!" He cursed.


    He looked down towards his minion, but noticed that there were now teal sparks in all the other skulls.


    And that''s when it clicked for him. The thing that had been bothering him since he entered the city¡ªthe lack of corpses on the streets and houses, despite the fact that this city looked like it had been destroyed in a battle. There should have been human remains everywhere.


    When he saw the skeletons in the arena, he should have realized it. Burial rites were performed to ensure the dead did not return as Undead. Which meant the lack of proper rites should have led to Draugr appearing. He guessed that they were most likely in some form of hibernation to not notice the humans so far.


    But that had changed and they were now waking up.


    Erik started panicking. He was in the middle of the city, most likely surrounded by thousands of Undead and who knows how many Nilgrim.


    Noises coming from the castle entrance could already be heard. With nowhere else to go, he dashed into the grand hall, and slammed the doors shut behind him.


    "HEY! What are you doing here?" The red-haired brute''s voice thundered behind him.


    Erik turned to see that the one called Lark had emerged from the hidden room, axes in hand. Before Erik could say anything, the maniac charged, his weapons glowing with a pale red light.


    He barely had time to react and jump to side. Both weapons slammed into the ground, emitting a loud sound and burying an inch into the stone floor.


    This must be his Talent, Erik though. He had forgotten that if he Awoke a Talent by entering the Whisper, the others would too.


    The axe warrior pulled his weapons out, and spun around ready to attack again.


    ¡°Stop! There is no time for this,¡± the noble scion called. He then started issuing orders.


    "Lark, barricade the doors. Orik, was there anything of value in the hidden room?"


    The archer shook his head, prompting the noble to grimace.


    "Then help me kill the Undead in the hall and then look for any other exits."


    ¡°You,¡± he said as he turned to Erik, ¡°make yourself useful and help Lark.¡±


    It was an order rather than a request, which Erik did not appreciate, but also did not dare oppose¡ªfor now. After all, it was best to team up with them in this situation.


    The brute gave a quick acknowledgment to his lord, then glanced towards Erik.


    "Peasant, if you do anything to get in our way, I will end you immediately," he whispered with cold eyes. He then rushed off to pile debris in front of the doors.


    Erik gritted his teeth and followed.


    The horrid screeching was much closer now. And a chorus of moans echoed from everywhere. The city of the dead was rising, crooning a song from the beyond. Eager to welcome the group into its fold.


    Yaren and Orik dispatched the Draugr that were struggling to rise and frantically started looking for any exits. While Erik and Lark were just about to join them, having placed all that they could at the doors, they heard a monstrous roar coming from the somewhere in the city¡ªsomething horrible was coming.


    The doors were holding against the Undead for now, but it wouldn''t last.


    "Maybe we should try the windows? If we move the throne under one, we should be able to push one of us high enough," Orik suggested.


    Although all of their bodies were improved a bit by their recent Talent Awakenings. None of them were actually fully fledge Rune Bearers. They were just barely above average mortals. So they couldn''t just run through the thick castle walls or jump through its high windows.


    Not only that, but they had no time to discuss it further, as abominations slammed into the outer sides of the north- and south-facing walls, followed by more screeching. The walls held whatever was out there at bay, but the young Rune Bearers had nowhere to go now. They were surrounded.


    To their horror, a Nilgrim¡ªanother of the Shackled King¡¯s Mischief¡ªcrashed through one of the south-facing windows, sending shards and vines flying.


    It landed in the middle of the hall, madness in its eyes, seeking to destroy anything it saw.


    The group froze for a moment before Yaren charged forward. Positioned behind the monster, he seized the opening and caught it off guard, driving his spear deep into one of its back legs.


    The creature howled and turned around striking out with a sharp claw. But the noble was just fast enough to dodge.


    Before the creature could pounce on him, an arrow lodged itself through its muzzle. It did not pierce anything vital, but it was a nasty wound.


    The brute was soon upon the monster too, and slashed both his weapons at its sides. Two fatal gaping wounds opened up, but the Nilgrim was not yet dead.


    It screeched, striking out a claw and wounding him on the leg. He dodged a follow up attack of the other claw, but was too slow to react to its tail. It lashed out and struck him across the chest like a whip, with a sickening crack it send the red-haired baboon flying.


    The blond archer shot another arrow, only managing to graze the creature''s spine.


    The Nilgrim eyes found Erik and it charged at him.


    He was holding his hatched in one had and a piece of a wooden chair in the other, which he threw at the monster.


    It did no damage, but he manage to distract it for a few moments. Long enough for him to jump forward and slam his axe at its head. Or at least he tried, instead he slashed across its shoulder and down its leg. A deep wound, but not enough to kill it.


    I am really not cut out to be a close combat warrior, Erik though.


    The Nilgrim roared, still strong enough to lunge at him. He pivoted his body to get out of the way and almost did, but the abomination''s sharp claws racked against his left forearm. He left out a stifled scream and stumbled away.


    Before he knew it, the creature was ready for another attack¡ªuntil it was struck by another arrow. This one pierced its eye and buried itself deep in its brain.


    With a weak growl, the thing finally died.


    At last, the four of them could breathe.


    Yet the moment was fleeting.


    Something slammed into the doors of the grand hall. The impact nearly broke through their barricade. A furious roar followed.


    The group hurried, pressing shoulder to shoulder against the eastern wall, just in front of the throne. Erik and the brute weren¡¯t faring well¡ªespecially the red-haired baboon, who struggled to stay on his feet.


    Another bang. Whatever was outside slammed into the doors again.


    This time, it broke through.


    A Mischief charged into the grand hall. It was followed by a horde of Undead.


    This is it. This is how I am going to die, Erik though.


    But the abominations didn''t get far, as the north wall exploded in a shower of rocks. And this time a true monstrosity came barreling into the room¡ªThe Shackled King.


    With its momentum it rammed straight into the charging horde, and they all crashed together into the south wall. They became an entangled mass of bones and grotesque limbs.


    "Now is our chance! Charge through the opening!" Erik despaired.


    The other three threw him a quick glance with different emotions. Their expressions mostly said that they were indignant to be commanded by this nobody.


    "Move!" the noble scion shouted.


    However, before they proceed forward, a few Draugr, and five more Mischiefs came in through the opening in the wake of the large monstrosity.


    Three of Nilgrims ran straight into the entangled mass of the Shackled King and Undead, piling on the chaos. But the other two managed halt their charge, stopping in the middle of the room. They turned around and focused their mad gazes on the group.


    The four were just about to rush forward and try, and push past them, when a large shadow was cast upon the hall.


    Everyone look up.


    What stared back at them was a black butterfly almost the size of the grand hall itself.