Henry groaned dramatically from where he lay sprawled in the grass, lifting a hand lazily toward Grace.
"Alright, fine," he sighed. "Guess it's time to be civil."
He wiggled his fingers in a mock-formal gesture.
"Name's Henry Williams. Resident weed killer, and occasional adventurer. Pleasure's all mine."
Grace smirked. "Nice to meet you, too, Henry."
Henry's grin widened. "And hey, don't mind Atlas over there," he said, nodding toward the unconscious figure. "He's got this charming habit of unlocking insane power-ups every time he's nearly dead. It's kind of his thing."
Amelia rolled her eyes, but Grace let out a quiet chuckle as Benjamin stepped forward to introduce himself. "Benjamin," he said simply, giving Grace a polite nod. "That's Ella," he added, gesturing toward me, "and the one leaning on the capsule is Emily."
Grace nodded to each of them. "It's nice to meet you all."
Emily pushed herself off the capsule with a small grunt, brushing dust from her hands. "Alright, so… what's the plan?" she asked. "Because I really don't love the idea of spending the night sitting on top of whatever those things are."
As if in response, a guttural scream rolled out from the city, echoing over the hills. Then another followed, and another, the sound swelling as more abominations stirred within the city beyond.
Amelia grimaced. "Looks like we don't have a choice. Emily, grab Atlas, and let's move."
Without wasting another moment, Emily lifted Atlas from the ground almost effortlessly and started twords the mountains. We followed at a fast jog that quickly turned into a run, weaving through the forest as branches snapped underfoot and leaves whipped past.
After several minutes, our pace faltered as Grace lagged behind.
"Wait—wait," she gasped.
We slowed and turned as she bent forward, hands braced on her knees, fighting for breath. "You guys… you're moving way too fast," she said between breaths. "I can't—just give me a second."
Benjamin glanced at her, only now realizing that she didn't have a core. "You okay?"
"Yeah," she said quickly, straightening as best she could. "Just… remind me to ask how you all do that later."
She reached into her bag and pulled out a small silver disk, pressing a button along its side. With a soft hum, it unfolded smoothly, panels shifting as it transformed into a sleek hoverboard that lifted a few inches off the ground, its underside glowing a faint blue.
"That should help," Grace said as she stepped onto it. The board shifted beneath her, stabilizing as she tested her balance, gliding forward and back.
I blinked, stunned by how it had unfolded from nearly nothing, and before I could stop myself, I blurted, "No way… is that a hoverboard?"
She glanced over. "Yeah. One of my very own designs. Do you have one?"
"I wish," I muttered forlornly. If I had something like that, I'd be on it every second of the day.
She offered a quick, breathless smile, then steadied herself. "Alright. I'm good now."
With a nod, we set off again. Even so, I couldn't help watching the tech Grace had used so effortlessly. If I could just see beneath the surface, what would I learn? Still, as we picked up speed, I forced my attention back to the ground, careful not to trip over another root.
After a short while, Grace glanced between us, clearly baffled. "I seriously don't understand how you're running this fast," she said. "It's incredible."
Benjamin answered without breaking stride. "Cores," he said. "They enhance pretty much everything from speed, strength, and reflexes."
Grace mulled that over, her brow furrowing. "Cores…" she murmured. "What are they, and how rare are they?"
Henry answered as he ducked under a low-hanging branch. "They're not exactly rare, but they're not easy to come by either. You get them from creatures you've killed, or sometimes from shops."
He rubbed the back of his head. "Honestly, though, it's a bit brutal as you have to kill other creatures to gain power."
She nodded slowly. "So you're telling me you have to fight these monsters to get stronger?"
"Pretty much," I added. "But just finding a core isn't enough. It has to be compatible with you. That's the tricky part."
Grace frowned, clearly turning that over in her head. "What happens if it's not compatible?"
"Then it's just a fancy rock," Henry shrugged. "You can sell it or trade it, but you won't be able to use it."
She nodded slowly, processing the information. "Okay, so you fight these creatures, get the cores, and hope they work for you. Got it." Her hoverboard zipped effortlessly over a protruding root as she glanced back at us. "But what about this world? How does it all fit together?"
The others glanced at one another, silently. Benjamin rubbed the back of his neck, and Henry gave me that 'don't look at me' shrug.
Amelia sighed. "It's… complicated."
Grace raised an eyebrow. "Why? You guys live here, don't you?"
Henry gave a half-laugh. "Live here is a strong word. More like survive."
I cleared my throat. "Actually, I can explain some stuff. I've read quite a lot of books on different things. Factions, power structures, core hierarchies, old-world conflicts—it's a mess, but it makes sense once you dig into it."
Grace looked over her shoulder, curious. "You serious?"
I nodded. "Yeah. I could explain it if you want. The politics, the different domains, how the cities interact. There's actually a logic to how it all functions."
She made a face and waved a hand. "Ehh, no thanks. I never liked that kind of stuff. Politics bored me back home, too. Just tell me what to fix, and I've got you."
I couldn't help smiling. "Suit yourself."
The forest swallowed us deeper, the canopy above thickening until only strips of gray light slipped through. The soft hum of Grace's board mingled with our footsteps, making for a soothing kind of silence.
Suddenly, a chuckle broke the peace. "Wow, I'm flying!"
We all turned to see Atlas floating a few feet off the ground, suspended by Emily's telekinetic powers.
"Ah, good," she said, waving dismissively. "He's awake."
With that, Emily released him, and Atlas plummeted to the ground face-first, absolutely eating dirt on the way.
Seeing our stunned expressions, Emily shrugged, feigning innocence. "What?" she said. "He's awake now, isn't he?"
Atlas groaned and spat out a mouthful of dirt as he pushed himself up before giving her an annoyed look. "Was that really necessary?" he muttered, coughing once before shaking his head. "Actually, never mind." He sighed and wiped his mouth. "How long was I out?"
Henry sauntered over, his expression suddenly grave. He placed a hand on Atlas's shoulder and let out a heavy, theatrical sigh. "You've been unconscious for two weeks," he said solemnly.
Atlas froze. "Two weeks?" he blurted.
But Henry broke instantly, doubling over with laughter. "No, no—just about an hour," he managed between gasps. "But your face? Totally worth it."
Atlas scowled as he climbed to his feet, brushing dirt from his clothes. "At this point," he said dryly, "I'm just going to stop believing the first thing that comes out of your mouth." Though despite himself, the corner of his mouth twitched upwards as he jokingly flicked Henry's forehead.
But what happened next was utterly unexpected.
Henry was launched backward as if struck by a hammer, slamming into the ground with a heavy thud and skidding to a stop several feet away. Then, after a moment of stunned silence, he shakily rose with a large bruise already forming on his forehead.
Atlas Mercer
"uhh..." Emily began, her voice trailing off as everyone, including myself, watched in awe. I just stared blankly at Henry, trying to wrap my head around what just happened. My gaze shifted between my own finger and Henry, who was getting up and rubbing his head, clearly perplexed by the power.
Shaking off my disbelief, I directed my attention to my stat screen, attempting to make sense of the sudden changes in my abilities.
Atlas Mercer
Race:Human
Level:22
Stats:
Strength: 49 + 17Vitality: 16 + 5Agility: 31 + 10Endurance: 17 + 5Intelligence: 37 + 12Dexterity: 12 + 4
Skills:
Lightning Enhancement: Rank 2
Lightning Control: Rank 3
Lightning Resistance: Rank 1
Identify: Rank 1
Unique Skills:
Void Creation: Rank 3
Multilingual: Rank 1
Astraheim's Inheritance:
Effects:
AstroHarbinger: Rank Unique???????????????
Titles:
Primordial Inheritance
Apocalypse Slayer: Rank 1
Level Defier: Rank 1,2,3,4
Blinking in disbelief, I stared at the new additions to my stat screen. My heart pounded as my eyes locked onto the two new titles and the unlocked power in Astraheim's Inheritance. I let my gaze linger on the titles, reading their descriptions silently in my head.
The first title, Level Defier Rank 3, intrigued me. It had been awarded for defeating a creature 40 levels above my own or the group's average, provided we had fewer than five people. The reward was a permanent 10% stat boost. My eyebrows furrowed. When had I done that?
The second title, Level Defier Rank 4, was even more bewildering. Slaying a creature 80 levels above myself under the same conditions granted the title, which came with an additional 10% stat boost and a hefty bonus of 20 points to strength.
I scratched my head, puzzled. I didn't recall fighting a creature so far beyond my level, let alone surviving it. No levels had been gained either…something about this wasn't adding up.
The skill that accompanied these titles was equally strange: AstroHarbinger Rank: Unique. My pulse quickened as I mentally activated it.
What happened next was beyond words. My skin began to dissolve into shimmering, liquid darkness, like the void of space, and within, pinpoints of light sprang into existence, filling the vast expanse that now comprised my body.
I raised a hand in front of my face, marveling at the cosmic transformation. My entire form seemed to ripple like a delicate, ever-shifting mist of cosmic smoke, faint tendrils drifting away with each subtle movement before fading into nothingness. As I waved my hand slowly, a trail of shimmering stardust and ethereal whisks of galaxies followed in its wake, dissolving after a heartbeat. It was as though I had become the living embodiment of the night sky, a boundless, otherworldly expanse captured in a single being. A faint, ethereal hum filled the air around me, harmonizing with the quiet beauty of my transformed state.
"By the gods," Benjamin muttered, stepping back in shock as he processed the change. "How do you feel?"
I glanced at him, my voice resonating with a low, otherworldly echo as if it reverberated off the surroundings. "I… I think I'm okay. Actually, I feel better than ever." My starry hand clenched into a fist, the movement leaving faint trails of starlight. Around me, the others stood frozen, their faces a mix of awe and unease.
"Can you… Can you turn back?" Benjamin asked a bit hesitantly.
I tried to concentrate on returning to my human form, but a notification flickered before my eyes: Cooldown active. Remaining time: 1 hour. A sigh escaped me. "No. Not for another hour. This… this is me for now."
The group exchanged uneasy glances, but Ella was the first to approach, her curiosity outweighing her caution. "Do you remember using this in the underground city? "
I turned toward her, my starry form shimmering with each movement. "This? I think I'd remember if I turned into a living galaxy in the middle of a fight." I paused, searching my memory, but after being pulled out of the room, I didn't remember anything like it.
Ella tilted her head, her eyes narrowing in thought. "What's the last thing you remember down there?"
I hesitated, the memory hazy and disjointed. "Being dragged out of the room by those… things," I muttered. "After that… nothing."
Her expression shifted, growing more intense. "You really don't remember anything after that, do you?" she muttered as if in thought. "Well, for one, you turned into this form and then tore through the abominations like they were nothing. The entire area became strange. The walls, the floor—everything bent to your will as you used it as a weapon… I mean, you saved us.
I stared at her, dumbfounded. "I did what?" It all sounded so surreal, but unable to resist, I looked back at my shimmering hands. "I don't remember any of it. Not a second."
Ella's voice softened, though her curiosity remained. "Do you think you still have that power? Whatever you did back there?"
Her question sent a chill down my spine as I focused on my stat screen, scanning the unfamiliar attributes and skills now displayed there.
Atlas Mercer
Race: AstroHarbinger
Level:1
Stats:
Strength: 49 + 19Vitality: 16 + 6Agility: 31 + 12Endurance: 17 + 6Intelligence: 37 + 14Dexterity: 12 + 4
Skills:
Space Dominion: Rank 1
Dimensional Apertures: Rank 1
Gravity Dominion: Rank 1
Thermal Weaving: Rank 1
Identify: Rank 1
Unique Skills:
Void Creation: Rank 3
Multilingual: Rank 1
Astraheim's Inheritance:
Effects:
AstroHarbinger: Rank Unique???????????????
Titles:
Primordial Inheritance
Apocalypse Slayer: Rank 1
Level Defier: Rank 1,2,3,4
AstroHarbinger
The realization struck me like a thunderbolt. Not only had my race changed to something called "AstroHarbinger," but I had also gained an array of new powers. What mystified me most was the absence of my previous abilities, save for my unique skills.
Pulse, I had acquired a new title: AstroHarbinger, which gave several stat bonuses, including +10 in intelligence and +5 stat points per level, along with a 5% increase to all stats.
I meticulously scanned each attribute and skill, the names sounding almost otherworldly. Space Dominion? Dimensional Apertures? Just reading them wasn't enough. I needed to know what they felt like, how they worked. But where to even start?
The others watched me expectantly, their reactions a mix of awe and curiosity. I could hear Ella muttering something about the stat percentages of what I told them, Henry whistling under his breath, and Grace musing about the possible effects of my abilities. But their voices blurred into the background. I wasn't interested in theories; I needed to see.
Let's start simple.
I grabbed a rock from the ground, feeling its rough surface against my palm. Gravity Dominion. The name alone suggested control over weight or force. Focusing, I imagined the rock heavier.
A faint pull stirred in my chest like a thread connecting me to the stone. Then, as if responding to my intent, the rock slammed to the ground with an audible thud, leaving a small dent in the dirt.
I exhaled slowly. That worked.
Curious, I reversed my focus and the rock vibrated for a moment, then lifted off the ground, floating just above my fingertips. Though something was different, it almost felt like I had control of where it floated, like telekinesis, but slightly different, like I had command over its very state.
I turned the floating stone over in my hand, watching how it responded to the smallest shift in my will. If Gravity Dominion worked this way, what about Space Dominion?
Testing it, I focused on the stone again, but this time I thought about changing its shape. And in response, its jagged edges smoothed and then warped. Within seconds, a perfectly flat disk hovered within my palm.
A slow grin crept onto my face. Oh, I like this.
I spun the disk midair, watching it hover with eerie precision before guiding it gently back into my grasp. There was a strangeness to the ability, like I wasn't just moving things, but deciding how they existed.
My fingers absentmindedly sifted through the dirt at my feet, letting the grains fall between them. A thought struck me.
What if I took this further?
I scooped up a handful of dirt and activated Gravity Dominion again, compressing the particles together. The mass tightened in my grip, the pressure so immense that the dirt began to harden. But then I noticed something else.
Heat.
A faint red glow pulsed from the center of the clump, growing warmer the longer I compressed it. My brows furrowed as I realized what was happening. The sheer force of compression was generating friction.
Thermal Weaving.
What if I controlled the temperature directly?
Focusing on the heat, I willed it to intensify. The glow flared from dim red to a bright orange heat that radiated outward. Wisps of smoke curled from my palm as the dirt melted, shifting into a molten, viscous form.
I lifted the small orb of molten earth, watching the light shimmer within. It looked almost alive, like a tiny, newborn star. Powerful. Unstable. Yet, completely under my control.
My fingers twitched, and the energy shifted again. This time, I directed it away, cooling the molten core. The glow dimmed, and as it cooled, soft cracks spread as it hardened rapidly. In moments, I was left holding a smooth, blackened stone marbled with faint swirls of brown and gray.
I turned it over in my palm, exhaling.
Huh. For some reason, I had expected… more.
It was just dirt, compressed and melted. The transformation felt incredible, but the end result? A rock. I mean, a nice-looking rock, sure, but nothing extraordinary.
Well, not everything can be world-shattering.
"Disappointing," I muttered, rolling the cooled stone in my fingers.
A chuckle came from Ella's direction. "Disappointing? You just made that out of dirt!"
Grace studied the stone before shifting her gaze back to me. "Imagine what else you could create."
Her words lingered for a moment, stirring something in me.
I glanced back at my stat screen. My eyes settled on Dimensional Apertures.
Portals? Rifts? The implications were huge. The ability to fold space itself could be a game-changer.
But I needed proof.
I let the stone slip from my fingers, my mind already shifting to the next test. Time to find out what else I can do.
Closing my eyes, I focused. I thought of space itself, the fabric of reality bending, shifting at my command. My mind settled on StormWatch, picturing its familiar streets—the towering buildings, the crowded markets, the crisp scent of rain-soaked stone.
I reached for the skill, willing space to tear open a path…
Nothing.
My eyes snapped open. There was nothing, no rift to be seen. Sighing, my excitement flickered, frustration seeping into its place.
"It's not working," I muttered, exhaling sharply.
But then it dawned on me. StormWatch was too far. That had to be it. I wasn't reaching through an open door; I was trying to rip a hole in a wall that stretched for miles and miles.
So, to correct that, I needed to start small.
I scanned my surroundings before focusing on a tree not far from where I stood. That should work.
This time, I honed my focus, directing it to a place I could reach. The air in front of me wavered—just for a moment—before splitting apart. A swirling rift expanded outward, its edges crackling with faint energy. On the other side stood the tree, exactly where I had envisioned.
A grin spread across my face. Got it.
I stepped forward without hesitation, the transition seamless. One moment, I was on one side. The next, I was beside the tree.
Turning back, I saw the others staring slack-jawed.
I let out a breathless laugh. "This is awesome."
Ella was the first to move, practically bouncing with excitement as she ran up to inspect the portal. "Can you teleport other people? How far can you reach? What happens if you close it while something is halfway through?" Her questions spilled out in rapid-fire.
I chuckled, already thinking ahead. Good questions.
Benjamin stepped forward, ever the volunteer. Without hesitation, he walked straight through, reappearing at the other end.
So it works on others. That's one thing confirmed.
Testing the range, I found that I could only open portals within 43 meters. Any further, and the skill refused to activate. As for the last question, I placed a rock halfway through the portal and willed it shut.
The moment the rift collapsed, the rock reappeared at its point of origin, utterly untouched.
So it doesn't cut things. Kinda disappointing, but I guess it makes sense.
I rolled my shoulders, my mind already racing with possibilities. Limited range, no slicing potential, but seamless travel…
Not bad.
After confirming how my portals worked, I found myself turning the polished rock over in my palm, letting my thoughts wander. Space Dominion. Gravity Dominion. The names alone suggested a level of control I hadn't fully explored yet.
If I could change the weight of an object… could I apply it to myself?
The idea lingered, itching at the back of my mind. I'd already made a rock hover; what was stopping me from doing the same?
"Alright," Henry's voice broke through my thoughts, "you've been staring at that thing for like a full minute. What's next?"
I smirked, tossing the rock aside. "Thinking."
Henry raised a brow.
I ignored him, flexing my fingers as I refocused. If I can make something lighter, I should be able to counter my own weight, right? The logic seemed sound. Maybe.
I exhaled slowly, letting my awareness sink into the ability again, the same pull I had felt when I altered the rock's gravity. I reached for it now, only this time I wasn't focusing on an object, but on myself.
"Hold on," Ella interjected, narrowing her eyes at me as I began to vibrate. "What exactly are you doing?"
I shifted my weight experimentally. "Seeing if I can lift myself."
Henry took a step back, arms crossed, watching with an amused look that only made me want to prove him wrong. "This should be good."
Benjamin, who had been leaning against a tree, let out a sigh. "This is a bad idea."
Yeah, well, I'd heard that before.
I ignored him and dug deeper into the feeling, that invisible force I had tapped into before. It was subtle, like a pressure shift in the air, like standing at the edge of a step without realizing it. Then, with a single thought—
The ground dipped away.
My feet left the dirt, and suddenly, I was hovering.
My breath hitched. It wasn't quite weightlessness, but something close. My entire body felt lighter, like I had traded bones for air.
"Hey," Henry grinned. "You're actually doing it."
I tested the limits, adjusting my balance as I floated just above the ground. It was unsteady, like standing on a board shifting beneath me, never quite solid. But I was holding it. I grinned, pushing higher and higher.
This was—
The wind hit out of nowhere.
A sharp gust cut through the trees, rustling branches and sending leaves spiraling through the air. The moment it hit me, I felt the shift.
Oh no…
The force I had been holding onto slipped. My balance shattered, and Gravity came crashing back.
My stomach lurched as I dropped like a stone. Instinct kicked in as I panicked, overcorrecting and forcing too much beneath me. Instead of stabilizing, I shot downward even faster.
This is bad. Very bad.
At the last second, I flung my energy sideways, anything to keep from slamming straight into the ground. It worked. Sort of.
Instead of dirt, I crashed into a tree.
The impact slammed through me, knocking the air from my lungs. Bark splintered, leaves rained down, and I slumped against the trunk, my entire body flickering like a dying star.
Everything hurt.
Although I could still hear Henry snort. "That looked painful."
Benjamin exhaled a slow, suffering sigh. "I told you this was a bad idea."
I groaned, still pressed against the tree. "Yeah, yeah. Noted."
Henry crouched down, tilting his head at me. "So, uh… success or failure?"
I peeled myself off the tree, wincing as I tested my limbs. Everything was sore, and I probably looked ridiculous.
"Shut up, Henry."
Benjamin shook his head. "If you're done nearly killing yourself, we should leave before you bring the whole forest down."
I took a step, then immediately stumbled, my legs still unsteady. Henry caught my arm before I could faceplant into the dirt.
"At least you didn't splat on the ground," he chuckled. "That's progress."
Benjamin, already several steps ahead, didn't even look back as he muttered, "That's not the bar we should be aiming for."
I sighed, letting Henry steady me as we followed after him. Next time, maybe start closer to the ground… or at least aim for a softer landing.
The journey continued, and with every step, I could feel my energy slowly returning. My mind was already piecing together ways to refine my abilities, but, apparently, I wasn't the only one thinking about it.
Emily, ever the opportunist, had a brilliant idea. And by brilliant, I mean potentially face-breaking.
She jogged up beside me, tossing a rock in her hand with a glint in her eye that immediately put me on edge. "So, I was thinking…" she said innocently, which immediately meant trouble. "You need to work on reaction time with your portals."
I eyed the rock warily. "Uh-huh."
Her smile widened. "What if we… I don't know… tested that by having you open a portal before something hits you?"
I squinted at her. "By 'something,' you mean—"
She tossed the rock in the air, catching it again. "A rock."
Henry snickered from behind me.
"Fine," I said, rolling my shoulders. "I'll give it a shot."
Emily beamed, already levitating the rock with telekinesis. "Alright, don't miss."
I barely had time to focus before she launched it. I scrambled to summon a portal in its path, but I was a fraction too slow. The rock whizzed right through the air and smacked me square in the face—right where my nose should be.
"Ow!" I hissed, rubbing the spot as the others immediately burst into laughter.
Henry doubled over, hands on his knees. "Oh my god, that was beautiful."
Even Benjamin let out a quiet chuckle. "Well, at least we know what happens when you miss."
Emily winced, but she was definitely still holding back a laugh. "Okay, so maybe we start with slower throws."
"Yeah," I deadpanned. "Or maybe we don't throw rocks at my face."
Benjamin, ever the helpful one, stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You need training to get the hang of it. Defensive use of portals takes precision."
I turned to him, still rubbing my face. "And how exactly do you suggest I train for that?"
Benjamin's expression shifted into something that immediately set off alarms in my head. It was a devious grin.
"Simple," he said. "We throw rocks at you until you figure it out."
Henry immediately perked up, already scanning the ground for more ammunition. "Oh, I like this plan," he said gleefully, grabbing a rock before Benjamin could even clarify.
I groaned, realizing I had walked straight into this one. This is my life now…
The training started in earnest, though to me, it felt less like practice and more like I'd unknowingly volunteered to be a moving target.
The first hit came out of nowhere. A rock smacked me square in the back mid-step, sending a jolt through my spine.
"What the hell?!" I spun around, eyes already narrowing in suspicion.
Henry stood a few feet away, grinning like he hadn't just committed a crime. "What?" he said, all mock innocence. "I'm just following Benjamin's training method."
Benjamin, ever the instigator, shrugged. "You do need to improve your reaction time."
"Reaction time?! I was walking!"
That didn't seem to matter. Over time, the rest of the team joined in with alarming enthusiasm.
Grace, despite lacking a core, was fully committed to the game, hurling rocks with the same chaotic energy she brought to everything, so her throws were more comedic than threatening. Amelia, however, had sniper-like accuracy, nailing me from angles I didn't think were physically possible. And Emily made sure I never got too comfortable, testing my awareness with perfectly timed throws whenever I let my guard down.
At first, all I could do was dodge. I sidestepped, ducked, twisted out of the way until it became clear that I wasn't getting better.
I gritted my teeth. This wasn't working.
I needed to stop avoiding the problem and actually fix it.
The next time Henry wound up for a throw, I inhaled sharply, forcing my instincts to shift from move to redirect.
Portal. Just open a dang portal.
The moment the rock left his hand, I reached out, not physically, but with the awareness of space itself.
Then Something clicked as the portal ripped open just behind me, and before Henry could react, the rock soared through the portal and into the one positioned right behind his head, smacking him with a satisfying thud.
Henry stumbled forward, hands immediately going to the site of impact. "What the?!"
The silence that followed was golden.
Benjamin blinked in surprise. "I wasn't expecting you to get that down so fast."
I rolled my shoulders, smirking. "Neither was Henry."
Grace let out a slow whistle. "Okay, now that's a practical use of portals."
Henry, still rubbing his head, narrowed his eyes. "Alright, that's it. No more holding back."
My grin faltered. "Wait, holding back?!"
Amelia, ever the opportunist, took advantage of my distraction as a rock whizzed through the air and smacked me in the back of the head.
I winced, rubbing the spot as she lowered her arm, a sly smile cutting through the dimming light.
"Don't celebrate too soon," she smirked. "And always stay aware of your surroundings."
I sighed deeply. This is going to be a long day…
As the twin suns dipped below the horizon, we set up camp in a small clearing nestled between the forest all around us. The fire crackled to life, its light casting long, flickering shadows across everyone's faces. Laughter and quiet chatter buzzed at the edge of my awareness, but I sat off to the side, apart from it all.
The warmth of the fire didn't reach me. I stared into the flames, waiting to feel something, but there was nothing. There was no heat. No chill from the rising night air. Just silence inside my body, like I wasn't truly in it anymore.
The stars had begun to shimmer above us, distant and unmoved, their pale light casting silver across the landscape.
Noting the similarities between the sky and my new form, I also observed a stillness within it. A weightless quiet that settled deep into my bones. There was no hunger. No fatigue. No ache in the muscles or twinge in the joints. It was... peaceful.
I could stay like this.
The thought came uninvited, but it didn't leave. Why revert? Why give up this calm?
But across the fire, Henry watched me as if expecting something. But as time passed, his brow furrowed slightly, and I knew what he was thinking even before he said anything.
That was enough.
Reluctantly, I let the transformation slip away. Shadows receded from my skin, and color returned to my hands. The moment I shifted back, everything came rushing in at once—the sting of the night air, the dull ache in my legs, the hunger like a punch to the gut.
And with it, something else. Regret? No. Something more subtle. A longing.
I exhaled slowly and opened my stat screen. The familiar glow shimmered before me, numbers and icons scrolling by. Everything looked Intact. But I still checked twice, just to be sure. As the interface faded, I stared upward into the night sky, letting my thoughts drift.
I remembered the serpent. The first real threat we ever faced here. The way it had moved across the desert sand as if it were merely water. Back then, we ran. We had to.
But now?
With these powers... would I still run?
Or would I finally hold my ground?
Fatigue crept over me, pulling me away from my thoughts. The warmth of the fire and the quiet murmur of the group lulled me toward sleep.
Then something small smacked me in the face.
I bolted upright, eyes blazing as I scanned the shadows. "Are you kidding me?! I'm not even in that form anymore!"
A suspicious giggle answered me.
My gaze snapped to Emily, who peeked out from under her blanket, her shoulders shaking with barely contained laughter.
"Oh, you think this is funny?" I muttered, picking up the rogue rock.
Before she could react, I tossed it back. It struck her stomach with a soft thud, followed by a very satisfying yelp.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop!" she gasped, still clutching her sides in laughter.
Shaking my head, I lay back down, letting the warmth of the fire lull me again. Despite the madness and the occasional rock to the face, I couldn't help but smile.