《Scions of The Essanari》 The Last Normal Day Chapter 1: The Last Normal Day The scent of damp earth and pine drifted through the cold morning air as Kael stepped onto his porch, a steaming mug of coffee in hand. The world was quiet, untouched by the noise of cities, far from the rush of crowds. Just him, the trees, and the sky. Thirty-one today. Not that it mattered. No party. No calls. No one to care. Just another morning like any other. He exhaled, watching his breath mist in the air, then took a slow sip of his coffee. Bitter. Strong. Exactly how he liked it. As he leaned against the wooden railing, his fingers brushed over his jaw absently, feeling the rough scratch of his beard. It was getting too thick again. He should trim it, but that would mean exposing the scar the ugly thing running from his left jawline, cutting upward in a jagged slash. A reminder of another life. A wound that never quite faded, even after all these years. His mid-length black hair was just as unruly. He¡¯d let it grow longer than usual, something about the isolation making self-maintenance seem like less of a priority. No one around to care. Not like there is anyone to see and judge. The wooden planks of the porch creaked beneath his weight as he shifted. The air was still, cold, the kind of chill that settled deep in the bones. The kind that woke you up better than any caffeine ever could. This was home. This silence, this peace. The cabin was small, but he had built it himself a single room, enough space to live, to be left alone. The town was an hour away by foot, twenty minutes by truck, but he only ever went when he needed supplies. He preferred it this way. A Morning Like Any Other, ordinary peaceful. Kael stepped off the porch, his boots crunching against the frost-laced ground. The sky was still tinged with the soft grays of dawn, but the forest was already awake. Birds chattered in the distance. A faint breeze rustled the trees. Somewhere nearby, water flowed down through the valley stream. Then, his eyes caught movement fresh tracks leading away from the treeline. A buck had passed through just before sunrise, its hoofprints pressed deep into the damp earth. A good-sized one. Enough meat to last him for weeks. He took another sip of coffee, then set the mug down on the porch railing. The hunt came first. Stepping inside, he grabbed his bow from where it rested against the wall. The rifle leaned in the corner, untouched for weeks. Too loud. Too easy. Taking life should not be made easy. The bow was better. More personal. He slung his quiver over his shoulder and adjusted the worn leather straps. A hunt before heading into town. Then supplies. Then back before sunset. Simple. Routine. That¡¯s how life was supposed to be. Kael moved through the trees with careful, practiced steps, his breath controlled, his body instinctively shifting with the terrain. Even now, years after leaving the military, his body still remembered. The silence. The patience. The need to stay just at the edge of awareness, ready for anything. His fingers brushed against the fletching of an arrow as he knelt by the next set of tracks. Fresh. The buck was close.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He adjusted his stance and followed the trail, weaving through the underbrush. Every movement was deliberate. He had learned early on that the forest had its own rules, its own kind of battlefield. One mistake, and you went hungry. He spotted the deer just beyond a clearing, grazing near the base of an old oak. A clean shot. Kael pulled back the bowstring, exhaling softly as he steadied his aim. Then, the world shifted. A low vibration hummed through the air. Kael felt it before he heard it a deep, unnatural stillness. The wind died. The birds went silent. The usual hum of the forest gone. The deer froze. Its ears flicked back, eyes wide with something primal. Fear. Kael lowered his bow slightly, his instincts kicking in. He knew this feeling. The calm before an ambush. His breath slowed. Muscles tensed. His heartbeat was steady, but everything in him screamed that something was wrong. Then, the sky split apart. One moment, he was standing on solid ground. The next, he was floating. The trees, the earth, the cold morning air gone. Everything around him was dark. Not black, not night just nothing. A hollow absence that stretched in every direction. And he wasn¡¯t alone. Shapes drifted around him millions, billions. People. Animals. Creatures he didn¡¯t recognize. All of them suspended in the void, their eyes wide with shock, some screaming without sound. Kael clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay calm. Panic wouldn¡¯t help. This wasn¡¯t death. This was something else. Then, the world below or what he thought was below, began to change. Kael¡¯s breath caught in his throat. He could see it. Earth, or what had been Earth, was no longer alone. Landmasses shifted, expanded, fused. Enormous continents stretched and reshaped themselves, folding into one another like molten metal poured into a mold. Oceans swelled, swallowing entire coastlines before reforming elsewhere, creating new islands, new rivers, new landscapes that had never existed. Then, from the abyss, other things or what looked like different worlds appeared. Massive fragments of land, entire biomes that did not belong, descended from the void, merging with the expanding Earth. A jagged, mountainous region the color of molten silver fused into the northern hemisphere. To the east, a continent covered in endless, ancient forests as far as the eye could see seamlessly blended into the growing world. Cities appeared; ruins of structures built by hands that were not human. Enormous underground caverns stretched open as if Earth itself was swallowing new realms whole. Kael could see everything. And he wasn¡¯t the only one. Among the billions of floating souls, new faces appeared. Elves. Dwarves. Individuals, unlike anything he had ever seen, their expressions just as confused, just as terrified. The merging continued, stretching time into what felt like eternity¡ªyet must only have been ten minutes. And when the time passed, Kael felt Earth was now ten times the size it had been before. It was no longer just Earth. It was something else. Then, the voice came. It wasn¡¯t loud. It wasn¡¯t even sound. It simply was. "Inhabitants of this new world. Your people and your old worlds has been integrated into the greater whole of the multiverse." The void shuddered. Kael¡¯s breath slowed. What? "You have all been chosen." Kael felt something tighten in his chest. Chosen? For what? "As such, you will be granted access to the System and all it offers." A pulse of energy ripped through him. Pain tore through his body searing, burning, relentless. Kael gritted his teeth as something rewrote him from the inside out. He could feel it his bones shifting, his muscles tightening, his mind flooding with something unnatural. Numbers. Symbols. Unreadable text flashed across his vision, carving themselves into his thoughts. "Struggle. Survive. And strive for something greater than you could ever dream of." The void collapsed. Individuals around him started disappearing, and soon he joined them too. Kael hit the ground hard. The scent of damp earth filled his nose, cold mud pressing against his skin. His body ached, his lungs burned, but he pushed himself onto his hands and knees. The forest around him was wrong. The trees were taller, their bark faintly pulsing with an eerie blue glow. The air was heavier, charged with something unfamiliar. And the silence... it wasn¡¯t natural. His bow was gone. His quiver was gone. Only the knife strapped to his belt remained. Then, a soft chime echoed in his skull. A floating blue screen appeared before his eyes. [System Activation Complete.] [Welcome to your New World.] [Survive.] Kael exhaled slowly. Trying to rest control of his beating heart, everything had changed. And he knew it was real. This was too much; he felt too much not to believe it was real. He didn¡¯t know where he was. Didn¡¯t know what had happened. But survival? That, he had always understood. A low, guttural growl rumbled from the darkness of the trees. Kael¡¯s muscles tensed. Something was watching him. Hunting him. And for the first time in years, he wasn¡¯t the one holding the weapon. Chapter 2: Reverse hunting The low growl reverberated through the darkness of the trees. Kael stilled, breathing slowed as he listened¡ªyears of instinct kicking in, sharpening his awareness. Something was watching him. The underbrush rustled, heavy steps pressing into the dirt. Whatever was moving wasn¡¯t small. Kael shifted his stance, muscles tensed, fingers twitching toward the knife at his belt the only weapon he had left. His normal hunting gear the bow, arrows, everything else gone. Another growl, closer this time. A shape emerged from the trees. Kael¡¯s stomach dropped. It was the buck. The same one he had been tracking earlier that morning. But it wasn¡¯t the same anymore. Its sleek brown hide had thickened, muscles bulging unnaturally beneath its fur. The creature was larger, its shoulders broader, its stance more aggressive. Its antlers¡ªonce normal bone¡ªhad sharpened into curved, jagged blades, reflecting the dim light that filtered through the canopy. But its eyes were the worst part. They weren¡¯t glowing or burning like some demon. They were just¡­ wrong. Too intelligent. Too focused. A predator¡¯s eyes, locked onto prey. Something flickered in Kael¡¯s vision. [ Wildhorn buck¨C Level 3] Kael¡¯s mind barely had time to register the words before the buck lunged. He barely reacted. Its massive body blurred forward, hooves thundering against the earth. Kael jerked back, his body trying to move on instinct but his heel caught on a tree root. His balance shattered. He fell hard. The buck¡¯s bladed antlers whistled past his face by mere millimeters, missing only because of his stumble. Kael hit the ground, rolling onto his side as the beast skidded to a halt, kicking up dirt as it turned. fuck. That was close. He scrambled up, hand darting to his belt, fingers wrapping around his knife¡¯s handle. A well-worn hunting blade¡ªnothing special, but solid. Reliable. The buck snorted, its hooves pawing at the dirt. It was sizing him up, studying him. Kael¡¯s heart pounded, his mind racing. I can¡¯t fight this thing head-on. His grip tightened on the knife. He needed a way out. His eyes flicked around the terrain, searching for a escape route. I need The buck lunged again. This time Kael threw himself sideways, ducking behind the same tree whose roots had tripped him. The beast didn¡¯t stop. It crashed into the tree with a thunderous crack, splintering bark as its full weight slammed into the trunk. Kael used the chance to run. His legs pushed off before he even had a plan¡­just run!, move! and keep moving! For a second, he thought he had gotten away. Then, the buck snorted behind him.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Kael didn¡¯t have to look back to know. It was already chasing. Branches tore at Kael¡¯s arms as he pushed forward, sprinting through the thick dense unknown forest. The uneven terrain forced him to adjust with every step, keeping his balance as best he could. Luckly all those terrain training in the army wasn¡¯t to total waste, some things still were helpful like now. He also felt like there was something pumping tine bitt of energy to the muscles of his leges when he focused on running faster. giving them a tine boost, he tried to look more to it but the sound of hooves slamming into the earth grew louder. Fuck! It¡¯s so fast, those muscles aren¡¯t just for show. Another blur of movement, Kael felt the rush of wind behind him and ducked. A flash of jagged antlers carved through the air where his head had been. The buck had nearly clipped him. Kael¡¯s lungs burned as he pushed harder. He wasn¡¯t even choosing a direction anymore. His body just moved, fear, panic and instincts driving him. Then¡ªhe saw it. A break in the forest floor, just ahead. A drop. Not a cliff, but a steep rocky slope, filled with boulder-sized stones jutting from the earth. An idea sparked in Kael¡¯s mind. Kael didn¡¯t slow down. Come on. Chase me. The Wildhorn was already locked onto him too focused to notice the terrain change. Kael slowed down and turned around at the edge of the slope. One step away from tumbling down. And with it being a steep rocky slope, he didn¡¯t see that going good for him, One more second. Then¡ª He flung himself with all he had to the left. The buck charged forward, unable to stop its momentum. Its hooves hit the edge and the ground beneath it vanished. For a second, it was weightless. Then¡ªimpact. The beast crashed onto the rocks below, its massive body colliding with jagged stone. A sickening thud echoed through the trees as it came to an abrupt, painful stop. Kael stopped at the ledge, panting, his pulse still hammering. The buck didn¡¯t move. For the first time since the chase had started, Kael had a moment to breathe. After several long, slow breaths, Kael finally approached the downed buck, or whatever it was now. That blue screen had called it a Wildhorn buck, and it was still alive. Its sides heaved, chest rising and falling in uneven bursts. Its front legs were pinned under its own weight, twisted awkwardly from the fall. Kael took a slow step closer. The buck¡¯s eyes snapped to him. There was no rage. No glowing fury. Just¡­ clarity. Like the animal finally realized what it had become. Kael swallowed, gripping his knife tighter. This wasn¡¯t a fight anymore. It was mercy. With a final steady breath, he ended it. Kael took a step back, wiping his blade on his pant leg, his hands still trembling. The forest was silent again. Then, the chime came. [You have slain Wildhorn buck ¨C Level 3] [Experience Gained: 30 EXP] [Title Acquired: First Blood] Awarded for delivering your first kill after System integration. Effect: +3% increased damage against beasts. [Essence Manipulation Achieved.] [Unique Skill Acquired: Essence Shaper ¨C Rank 1] Allows the user to shape, reinforce, and manifest Essence-based constructs. Current efficiency: 10%. Kael exhaled sharply. His body screamed in exhaustion, still he was alive. Another chime interrupted his thoughts. [Experience Threshold Reached.] [You have leveled up!] Status Update Name: Kael Level: 2 EXP: 30/50 Rank: Mortal (Rank 1) Stats: Kael blinked at the glowing text, his mind struggling to process everything. Stats. Levels. Experience. This was¡­ structured. Like a game. But it wasn¡¯t a game. His aching ribs, bleeding arm, and the still-warm corpse at his feet made that clear enough. Finaly having a moment to calm down, Kael started letting all that contained panic leave him. He barely had time to finish calming down, and as if waiting for this, his entire body tensed. It wasn¡¯t pain, Not like when the System brought him to that strange place for that Announcement, followed by it showing the world transforming, and flooding him with that strange energy. no, this was much less and more sudden. A sharp, brief pulse of energy spread through him like an unseen force tightening around his muscles, wrapping around his bones. His breathing hitched as his limbs felt warmer, denser, just slightly more responsive. His strength, agility, endurance everything had shifted. Not drastically, but noticeably. He clenched his fingers experimentally. Slightly stronger grip. His legs a fraction more balanced, more controlled. His ribs still ached, but the pain felt duller, like his body was already adjusting, recovering just a little faster. But the biggest change wasn¡¯t physical. His mind felt clearer, sharper. Thoughts that had been sluggish from exhaustion were now more focused, more refined. His surroundings felt crisper, details more noticeable. And he could feel the presence of something all around, from outside and inside himself, as if it was all encompassing and present. It wasn¡¯t an overwhelming transformation. No sudden superhuman power, no miraculous healing, nothing that drastic, but it was the final nail in the coffin. This wasn¡¯t a dream. This wasn¡¯t a hallucination. As much as he would have loved to tell himself that he would wake up in his home, and go about his usual rutin, this world, this so-called System was real. And if this was how the world worked now... Then he needed to understand it. Fast. And he needed to plan what he was going to do now, cause last time he checked he had no idea where he was¡­ Chapter 3: The Unknown Forest 1 The silence stretched. Kael stood over the buck¡¯s lifeless body, his grip still tight around the hunting knife. Adrenaline still pumped through his veins. His muscles ached, the dull pulse of exhaustion creeping in now that the danger had passed. The System messages still hovered in his vision, waiting for him to acknowledge them. He let his eyes drift over them once more. [You have slain Wildhorn Buck ¨C Level 3] [Experience Gained: 30 EXP] [Title Acquired: First Blood] (+3% increased damage against beasts.) [Essence Manipulation Achieved.] [Unique Skill Acquired: Essence Shaper ¨C Rank 1] Allows the user to shape, reinforce, and manifest Essence-based constructs. Current efficiency: 10%. [Experience Threshold Reached.] [You have leveled up!] Kael tried to process everything. None of it made sense. None of it made sense. He had seen plenty of strange things in his life, war had a way of making the world seem unnatural. But this? This was something else entirely. And yet, the proof was undeniable. He had felt himself change. The moment he leveled up, his body had responded, a slight increase in strength, a subtle sharpening of his mind. It wasn¡¯t drastic, but it was there. A single level, and he already felt better. He stared at his hands, flexing his fingers. If this was just the beginning¡­ Then how would it feel to gain 10 levels? He weirdly looked forward to it, but at the same time, he dreaded it. The rush of energy and control, he imagined, would feel like drinking ten cups of coffee and a box of Red Bull but then again, the pain was there too. No pain no gain huh. He shook his head. Focus. Thinking too far ahead wouldn¡¯t help him now. He still didn¡¯t know where he was, what had happened, or what else was out there. And that needed to change. Kael took stock of his surroundings. The forest was different, larger, denser, the trees towering overhead in a way that felt unnaturally grand. He didn¡¯t recognize any of the plant life, some of the leaves had faint bioluminescence, a soft blue glow tracing their veins.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. The air was thicker too. Not humid, but charged, as if something unseen lingered in it. He crouched beside the Wildhorn¡¯s corpse, his eyes narrowing as he examined it more closely. At first glance, the changes seemed subtle, more muscle, sharper antlers. But when he touched its fur, he realized it was denser, almost like armor. Yeah, it was a good idea to let gravity work. He doubted he would have had a good time trying to slash through this fur. And then there was the feeling he was experiencing looking at the monster/animal. The moment he focused on the dead buck, he could feel it a faint energy clinging to its body, slowly fading. Was this the Essence the System had mentioned? His mind flashed back to the fight specifically, the moment when he thought he felt energy rushing into his legs, making it slightly easier to move faster. That hadn¡¯t been normal. Could that be this Essence¡­ boosting my body? Can I do it again? Kael tightened his grip on his knife, focusing. Nothing happened. Frowning, he tried again this time reaching for the same feeling, that overwhelming desire to run, that he had felt during the chase. A flicker in the back of his mind, as if something was moving to his leges. For the briefest second, he felt something there. Then pain. Kael collapsed forward, falling onto the buck. His legs felt like they had the worst cramps of their life. And just as quickly as it came, the pain vanished. His breath hitched. Clearly, I did something wrong. Whatever I just did¡­ it wasn¡¯t stable at all. It seems today wouldn¡¯t stop being full of sudden bursts of pain, Kael chuckled to himself, resting his head on the Wildhorn, thinking about what the sergeant would have said to him for that. "Pain is for the weak-minded to grow strong, and don¡¯t you forget! its also for those who buy pizza only for themselves when they invite people over.¡± Kael chuckled again. Then his good mood soured. He didn¡¯t want to think about the sergeant now. Especially not when he didn¡¯t go to his funeral. The others had come over for the first time in two years. They had told him it was his duty, even if some things couldn¡¯t be forgiven. Practically begged him to do it for the sergeant memory, for the man he was before. And when he said he wouldn¡¯t. They had asked him to at least come not for the sergeant, but for them. Let¡¯s just say that Keal didn¡¯t go. Kael shook his head. Not now. Not here. He forced himself up, dusting the dirt from his clothes. I need to find shelter. He couldn¡¯t be out here when it got dark. Not when the wildlife had turned into this. If he was going to figure out what this essence was, then he needed to learn how to control it properly. I need practice. But before that I need a safe place, he needed to stay alive until tomorrow. Maslow''s hierarchy of needs, right now safety needs are more important than bodily needs. Shelter. Water. Food. In that order if he could help it. Kael glanced at the Wildhorn¡¯s antlers. Sharp. Thick. Could be useful. He could skin and butcher it for food, but that might attract more predators. Carrying bloody meat while traveling blindly through unknown terrain was just asking for trouble. Shelter first. Once he had a place to hide, he could worry about food. But the antlers those he could use now. Without hesitating, he set to work. His knife wasn¡¯t ideal for the task, but after several minutes of effort, he managed to break off one of the smaller antler-blades. It wasn¡¯t pretty, but the edges were still razor-sharp. [New Item Acquired: Wildhorn Antler Blade] (A crude but sharp piece of antler, retains some Essence residue.) Satisfied, Kael stood and looked at the forest stretching before him. He had no map, no bearings, no idea what lay beyond. But standing still wasn¡¯t an option. Soon whatever horrors were in this forest, they were going to be attracted to the buck, and he didn¡¯t want to be here when it did. He rolled his shoulders, adjusted his grip on the knife, and started walking. Time to find out what kind of world he had been thrown into. Chapter 4: The Unknown Forest 2 Kael steadying himself as he climbed out of the rocky slope. His legs ached from the chase, his side still recovering from the impact earlier. He planted his hands on the damp earth, taking a slow breath as he pushed himself upright. His body, although better, was still a bit sore. It wasn¡¯t just the fall or the chase, but everything the level up, the fight, the strange pull he had felt before collapsing. It all left him feeling drained. Still, there was no time to rest yet. And that meant he needed to move. Kael tilted his head up, eyes scanning the sky above the forest canopy. The light filtering through the towering trees had taken on the golden hues of dusk, casting long, jagged shadows over the uneven terrain. It¡¯s getting late. His fingers flexed against his side. He didn¡¯t have long before nightfall. A creeping sense of unease settled in his chest. If this forest had creatures like the Wildhorn buck, he didn¡¯t want to be caught out in the open after dark. He needed to find somewhere to rest for the night. Kael turned slowly, trying to get his bearings. The forest stretched in every direction a wall of trees, roots, and tangled underbrush. Each direction looked identical, equally dense, equally unfamiliar. No signs, no landmarks, no trails. Just a maze of ancient trees reaching endlessly into the sky. He hesitated. Which direction should he go? He clenched his jaw. Did it even matter? With a quiet sigh, he chose a direction and started walking. As he moved deeper into the forest, he let his focus shift to his surroundings. The trees were immense, towering higher than anything he had ever seen. Some stretched hundreds of meters into the air, their bark rough and thick, their roots breaking through the earth like the bones of some massive beast. Keal remembered his mother telling him when he was in high school, after being sent home for the millionth time getting in a fight with the other students, not that anyone cared why the fights always started. She told him that she had learned on the discovery channel that there is a theoretical maximum height for trees. The bigger and taller they get the harder it is to get water to all its branches. If he remembered that correctly it should be around 100 meters. She always rambled on about things she had seen or learned whenever there was something serious to talk about. Choosing to instead try to pretend it never happened. As if that would one day make it so. Keal refocused, noticing that the most unnerving part was the subtle blue glow running through them. Faint streaks of pulsing light ran through the bark, like veins under the skin, shifting just beneath the surface. The glow wasn¡¯t bright, more like an afterimage, but so subtle it was easy to miss if he wasn¡¯t looking closely. Then there were the leaves. The ones still attached to the branches had a faint shimmer, barely noticeable. But the ones that had fallen lost their glow completely, turning into normal, lifeless foliage. Kael bent down and picked up a dry leaf. Why? Was there something in the trees themselves that kept them infused with what made them glow, is it essence? Did they lose their energy the moment they left their source?Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. This world isn¡¯t just bigger. It¡¯s¡­ different. More than just a landscape change. The very biology of things had shifted. A flicker of movement caught his eye. Kael stilled, his eyes tracking toward the branches above. A bird sat perched on a thick, low-hanging limb, its head tilted slightly as if watching him. At first glance, it looked like a normal sparrow. Small, feathered, nothing out of the ordinary. But then he noticed the size. It was three times larger than it should have been. Its feathers had an almost iridescent sheen, reflecting a subtle shimmer of blue light from the surrounding trees. It turned its head, watching him with sharp, intelligent eyes before flitting off into the canopy. Kael released a slow breath. Then, his gaze dropped to the forest floor. Something scurried past his boot a beetle, the size of his fist. Kael took a reflexive step back. "Yeah¡­ people who hate bugs would absolutely lose their minds in this place." His lips twitched in amusement, but the thought lingered. Even the small creatures were different. If something as harmless as a beetle had tripled in size¡­ What had happened to the predators? Kael continued walking, choosing not to contemplate more about that train of thought. His boots pressed into damp earth, the forest growing darker with every passing minute. He kept his eyes peeled for anything that could serve as shelter. A cave? No luck. A hollowed-out tree? Not in sight. A rocky overhang? Not a damn one in sight, not that it would be much but better than nothing at this point. Damn it. He had been moving for what felt like an hour, and there was still nowhere to hide. The shadows stretched longer, creeping through the undergrowth. The air carried a faint chill, the warmth of the day fading into the cold of the approaching night. Luckly it was a cold morning when he went out for his hunt, and had taken on a good jacket, and a worm pair of sucks. It was meant to snow soon; it was that time of year but looking at this environment it didn¡¯t look like that was happening yet. His hands clenched at his sides. This isn¡¯t good. Then he saw it. A massive tree had fallen, its trunk resting at an angle against another. It was huge, thick enough that he could have fit an entire room inside the width of its trunk. And most importantly it was climbable, difficult and dangerous, but climbable. Kael approached, running his hand along the rough bark of the tall tree. Like the others, it pulsed faintly with blue streaks, glowing softly in the dimming light. This will work. If he could climb up to one of the larger branches, he could get off the ground, away from whatever creatures hunted at night. It was as good as it would get for him before nightfall, and it was better than the alternative. Kael hoisted himself up, using the rough grooves of the bark for grip. The climb was awkward, but his arms were strong enough to keep him moving, the physical routine he kept for all these years, even when he started living in the wilderness alone, paid off here well. After a few minutes, he reached a thick, sturdy branch, wide enough that he could rest without immediately falling off. Kael leaned back against the tree trunk, catching his breath. Then, he looked up. So high in the tree, he could get a better look at the sky without it being hidden away by the trees. The night sky stretched above him, clearer than anything he had ever seen before. Without light pollution, the stars were sharp, vivid, endless. Constellations he didn¡¯t recognize scattered across the darkness, unfamiliar yet mesmerizing. Living in God knows where he was used to getting some nights with beautiful sky, it was one of the things he liked to do and enjoyed. But it never was this clear, not even close. But it was the moons that truly caught his attention. And yes, moons as in plural, 3 to be exact. One massive and pale silver, dominating the sky. The second was smaller, reddish, partially hidden behind the first. And the third is a faint blue shadow, barely visible in the distance. That¡¯s new. What happened to our moon? Are these the other worlds? Can¡¯t be we were shown them merging with earth. So perhaps these new moons belongs to those other worlds? Despite everything that had happened today, the chaos, the danger, the uncertainty, this moment was beautiful. For a second, he let himself enjoy it. As the night settled in the forest as a blanket. Then the sounds began. Somewhere deep in the forest, a low howl echoed through the trees. It was distant, but not distant enough for his liking. A moment later, something growled. Another howl, closer this time. Kaels body went tense. The forest had been quiet before. Unnaturally so. But now? It was as if it was coming alive. Kael forced himself to relax. He was off the ground. That was the best he could do for now. He shifted slightly, adjusting against the bark. His tiredness and today¡¯s exhaustion creeping in. He closed his eyes, letting out a slow relaxing breath. Just a little rest. Just enough to stay alert. Then a rustle. His eyes snapped open. Something moved far below. Kael stayed perfectly still, ears straining, trying hard not to make a sound. More movement. Something was down there. Hunting. And Kael could only hope it wouldn¡¯t look up. Chapter 5: The Night Kael didn¡¯t move. His breathing was shallow, controlled. His muscles tensed as he listened to the faint, deliberate steps approaching below. Whatever was moving was big. The sound of shifting weight, the subtle crunch of leaves, and the heavy drag of something thick across the ground sent a chill up his spine. Then, silence. Kael remained still, straining his ears. Whatever was down there had stopped moving. For a long moment, he debated whether to look. If it sensed him, would he be giving himself away? But in the end his curiosity won out. Slowly, he inched forward, keeping his body low and balanced on the thick tree branch. He tilted his head, carefully peering down between the thick leaves. And then, he saw it. The creature standing beneath the tree was unlike anything Kael had ever seen. At first glance, it looked like some twisted abomination of nature, a beast that shouldn¡¯t exist. Its body was heavily armored, covered in overlapping plates like a pangolin, but they were thicker, bulkier, giving it a monstrous, tank-like appearance. The plates were dark green, almost blending with the moss and vegetation that had grown over its back. Its legs were powerful, thick with muscles, ending in sharp claws that dug into the earth. But its head that was the worst part. It had a long, tubular snout, like that of an anteater, but larger¡ªeasily the size of Kael¡¯s torso. The mouth at the end of the snout was lined with serrated teeth, capable of clamping down and crushing bones. But what made Kael¡¯s stomach churn was the tongue. A long, forked appendage flicked out from its maw, wet and glistening in the faint moonlight. The barbed tips looked sharp enough to hook and tear flesh. Kael¡¯s vision flickered, and a prompt appeared. [Venom Maw ¨C Level 5] Kael stared, his pulse pounding in his ears. Level 5. That was higher than the Wildhorn, looked stronger, and deadlier than it too. And it was right below him. His heartbeat quickened as he tried to remain completely motionless. Then, before he could react, something else moved. A flicker of gray in the underbrush. A small, humanoid figure darted between the trees. Kael barely had a moment to process what he was seeing before a second prompt appeared. [ Gloomkin ¨C Level 1 ] A goblin-like creature, but different. It was short and thin, with dark gray skin that blended into the shadows. Its eyes were pure black, hollow pits that reflected no light. Its mouth was filled with sharp yellow teeth, curled into a perpetual snarl. It moved fast, ducking and weaving through the foliage. It¡¯s running.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Kael barely had time to think what was going on, before the Venom Maw struck. Its tongue shot out a blur of movement in the dim light. The barbed tip hooked into the Gloomkin¡¯s chest before it could react and evade. The small creature let out a shriek, struggling violently, but it was already too late. The tongue retracted, dragging the helpless creature back toward the gaping maw. Kael barely caught a glimpse of its terrified expression before the Venom Maw¡¯s teeth clamped down. A wet crunch. The creature was gone. Kael clenched his jaw, horrified. The Venom Maw chewed slowly, its armored body shifting as it swallowed. The remains of the Gloomkin¡¯s blood pooled on the ground beneath it, the dark liquid seeping into the dirt. Kael remained completely still; he hadn¡¯t dared move for fear of being next. If that thing has a good sense of smell, and it smells me up here, I¡¯m dead, and it won¡¯t be pretty. He didn¡¯t know how good some of the monsters in the forest¡¯s sense of smell was either. But it didn¡¯t take a genius to know that, after what just happened, the noise of the little monster made when it was dying. Coupled with the blood that he himself could smell from here, yeah, he wasn¡¯t willing to risk it. His thoughts drifted back to himself and his own scent. He had been sweating the entire day from running to climbing, as well as being covered in dried blood from the Wildhorn, and now that he thought about it he hadn¡¯t showered this morning. Fantastic. I probably smell bad. Not exactly ideal for avoiding predators, with most likely enhanced senses. As soon as the Venom Maw lumbered off, Kael made his decision. I need to get the hell out of this tree. There was no chance he was getting a peaceful rest here. Slowly, carefully, Kael lowered himself down the tree, using the rough bark to keep his footing steady. Every movement was controlled, every breath shallow. Luckly, he hadn¡¯t climbed too far up. So, it didn¡¯t take long for him to go down. Spesily with the help of the downed tree. Once his feet touched the ground, he moved low and fast, sticking to the bushes, avoiding open terrain. His heart pounded with every rustle, every whisper of wind through the branches. Then he heard it. The faint rush of running water. A river, and from the sound of it, it was not small. Relief flooded through him. Fresh water. A way to clean himself up. If there are no animals or monsters, then that would be fantastic. He quickened his pace, he finally saw the river, it was in a clearing, going from, what appeared to him north to south. Splitting the forest in two. A blur of movement in the darkness. Pain ripped through his shoulder. Kael staggered to the side, barely catching himself before he collapsed. Something had slashed him. Aiming for his neck but hitting his shoulder instead. It had barely missed because he was in the middle of standing up. He could have died just now, and he wouldn¡¯t have known it. A could shiver ran down his spine, just thinking about it. His vision blurred, but as he turned his head, he saw it. A black-furred beast crouched low to the ground, its body sleek and silent, its eyes locked onto him. It made no noise. No growl. No warning. Just pure, calculated aggression. A prompt appeared. [ Duskfang Stalker ¨C Level 8 ] Kael¡¯s blood ran cold. Level 8. Then, before the beast could attack again Something else moved from the corner of his eye. The thing lunged from the foliage. A massive snake, its scales dark like polished stone, its fangs the size of Kael¡¯s forearm. It struck the Stalker. The two monsters collided in a blur of teeth, claws, and muscles. Kael¡¯s primal instincts screamed followed by his brain. The message was clear. Kael didn¡¯t hesitate any longer. He sprinted toward the river. The clearing was bathed in silver light, the moons casting an otherworldly glow over the water. He didn¡¯t stop. He threw himself into the Lukewarm current, the shock of the landing punching the air from his lungs. The current pulled at him, dragging him downstream, but he fought against it, kicking, swimming, forcing himself toward the other side. He struggled with his right shoulder, feeling the burning pain as he used it, but still he kept going. Gritting his teeth through it. His muscles burned, his lungs screamed, but he kept moving. Finally, he reached the shore. Coughing, and in pain, he hauled himself onto the bank. Gasping for air to rush in, he turned back The Duskfang Stalker and the snake were still fighting. Another prompt appeared. [ Titanfang Serpent ¨C Level 8 ] Kael let out a shaky breath. He did not have time to fully process that thing earlier. It was massive easily the size of a small car, its body thick with brutal muscle, its fangs curved like daggers of bone. Kael didn¡¯t stick around. He turned and ran into the trees. He was getting very good at doing that lately. After what felt like forever, he finally slowed. His shoulder throbbed, the wound stinging. Like an apology gift for all the trouble he went through today, he saw it. A shabby treehouse, barely holding together on a smaller tree. A rope ladder dangled from its side. Kael didn¡¯t think twice. He climbed up, using for the most part his good arm. Reaching the small wooden platform. He realized that It was cramped, but surprisingly sturdy. Safe finally. Pain pulsed through his arm. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small emergency bandage. "Breaking my damn leg once on a hike was one too many. Learned my lesson." Ever since then, he carried with him a small bandage with him when he went out for a hike or hunting. He wrapped the wound, hissing as the fabric tightened. Lucky the bandage was dry being in a watertight bag. His clothes were soaked, but inside the enclosed space, he wasn¡¯t in immediate danger of the night, it was chili night but nothing too cold, he would survive. Not comfortable but survive. Exhaustion hit him like a sledgehammer. He leaned back against the wooden wall. Then, finally like food to a starving individual, Keal let it all go, and passed out. Chapter 6: Echoes of the Past Kael¡¯s mind drifted into the depths of sleep, exhaustion claiming him as his body settled into a dream a memory long buried but never truly forgotten. The air was warm, carrying the scent of freshly cut grass and damp soil. Sunlight filtered through the leafy canopy above, casting flickering shadows over the yard. The sound of rustling leaves and distant cars on the main road blended into the quiet hum of a small town. This was when Kael was ten years old. The treehouse stood proudly in the backyard, nestled among the sturdy branches of an old oak tree. His father, Richard, had built it for him one of the rare moments when he was a father, when he wasn¡¯t otherwise absent. Kael sat on the tire swing, kicking his legs gently, letting himself sway back and forth. His small hands clutched the thick rope as he stared at the back of their aging house. Through the kitchen window, he could see them. His parents were fighting again. His father¡¯s broad frame loomed over his mother; his face contorted with frustration. His mother, Eleanor, stood with her arms folded, her expression torn between anger and exhaustion. Their voices were muffled, but the tension was clear. Then, it happened, like so many times. His mother¡¯s shoulders slumped, her arms dropping to her sides as she broke down in tears. Kael¡¯s swinging stopped. His small hands loosened on the rope as his stomach twisted. It was always like this. He climbed off the swing and approached the back door cautiously. The kitchen was to the right, the door slightly open, and the argument spilled into the air. ¡°You always do this when you''re back!¡± Eleanor¡¯s voice cracked as she wiped at her face. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m asking for much.¡± ¡°Much?! Much?!¡± Richard¡¯s voice was sharp, edged with exhaustion. ¡°How am I supposed to pick up the girl from kindergarten when I¡¯m working three jobs, just so i can feed your damn scratch paper collection in the back of the drawer? did you think i dident know.¡± Kael froze in the hallway, just out of sight. He didn¡¯t need to see them to know what would happen next. His mother sobbed. His father¡¯s voice grew colder. The same cycle, the same pain. Tuning them out, Kael walked past the kitchen, heading into the living room, where the TV was turned up loud enough to drown out the shouting. His older brother, Devin, sat on the couch, staring blankly at the screen.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Star Trek was playing, a same few episods. Kael hesitated before speaking. ¡°Devin, do you wanna play outside?¡± Devin didn¡¯t even look at him. ¡°Go bother someone else.¡± Kael clenched his fists. ¡°Come on, you never do anything with me.¡± His brother exhaled sharply, irritated. ¡°Just shut up, Kael and go away.¡± The back-and-forth grew louder, his brother¡¯s annoyance fueling Kael¡¯s frustration. It wasn¡¯t fair. No one ever listened. No one ever cared. Then Heavy footsteps approached. Their father stormed into the room, his face set in a thunderous glare, that if they could, they would set you a flame. ¡°Turn the damn TV off!¡± he snapped at Devin. Devin¡¯s jaw clenched. He gripped the remote. ¡°I don¡¯t want too! you guys are just gona keep fighting, so why dose what I want to watch matter to you!?¡± Richard¡¯s hand clenched into a fist. ¡°You wanna talk like that to me, boy? You wanna be like your filthy-mouth mother?!¡± Devin¡¯s expression hardened. The challenge was silent, but clear. To Keal his brother never learned. Their father unbuckled his belt. The scene shifted. Suddenly, Kael found himself somewhere else, a different time, a different moment. A school office. He sat in a stiff chair beside his mother, her arms crossed, fingers drumming against her arm. Across from them, his teacher a tired woman in her forties sighed, her hands folded on her desk. Kael recognized the day immediately. It was the day of the fight, and the meeting that changed his future. ¡°Mrs. Aranthis,¡± the teacher said, her tone careful. ¡°This is not the first time Kael has been involved in an incident. Today, he broke another student¡¯s nose and gave him a black eye.¡± Kael tuned her out, lost in his own thoughts, replaying what had happened. It had started like what was to him every other bad day. Kael had been sitting alone at lunch when Deren, one of the school bullies, approached. Mocking. Laughing. Pushing. ¡°Nice clothes, Kael. Did your mom spend her casino winnings on them? Oh wait¡ªyou guys don¡¯t win anything, do you?¡± Kael¡¯s jaw tightened. Don¡¯t say anything. Ignore him. Deren leaned in closer. ¡°I heard your dad left ¡®cause you¡¯re too stupid to get good grades. I¡¯d leave too if I had a kid as dumb as you.¡± The next thing Kael knew. His fist had slammed into Deren¡¯s face. The boy had stumbled back, nose gushing blood. The second punch had given him the black eye. Kael had kept hitting until the teachers had dragged him off. The teacher¡¯s voice pulled him back to the present. ¡°¡­This behavior cannot continue.¡± His mother, Eleanor, sighed, rubbing her forehead. ¡°He doesn¡¯t act like this at home.¡± Kael almost laughed. That was a lie. She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do with him. His sister is much better behaved.¡± Kael¡¯s stomach twisted. The teacher continued. ¡°His grades are slipping; his discipline is non-existent. If something doesn¡¯t change soon, Kael, there is no future for you. And Mrs. Aranthis frankly I don¡¯t see an academic future ever happening with these grades. It will be a miracle if he even finishes high school¡± Kael stayed silent. Then, the teacher turned to his mother. ¡°Mrs. Aranthis, maybe you should consider preparing him for the military, so he can join when he comes of age. It might instill some discipline before it¡¯s too late. I know a family that did that, and they swore up and down how that was a life changer for their son. They say that he went as an uncontrolled child and came back as a respectable man.¡± Eleanor hesitated. Then, slowly, she nodded. Kael¡¯s chest tightened. The dream began to fade.