The brustling of leaves against each other and the hum of the insects were the only sounds that could be heard for miles. The air was thick with moisture, and the sky was a deep blue, like an ocean that had been dyed. The sun lazily peeked out from behind the trees, and its light was warm and inviting. A peaceful environment where nature harmonises with all living things.
"Avis!" Sky shouted as he walked through the wilderness, his voice bouncing off the trees. There was no answer but the sounds of animals scurrying away in fear.
"System?! Just answer me! What's going on?" He was getting frustrated. He had been walking for hours, and there was no sign of Avis or the system.
A while ago, Sky awoke next to the forest's heart, the gigantic tree reaching to the heavens. He found that his etherical pathways were entirely new, with two spiralling elements, opposing forces encasing his ether pathways. The black wisps from before were now entwined with the nature attribute, both in a tug of war. But for whatever reason, he couldn't use his internal ether or manipulate ambient ether. He was completely powerless, and his companion, Avis, was nowhere to be found.
He sighed and plopped down on the ground, leaning against a tree. He was tired, both physically and mentally. Not to mention he was utterly lost in this forest. He had no idea where he was or how to get out. He could only head in a direction where fewer beasts lingered and hoped for the best.
The cawing of birds in the distance signalled the end of his short break, and he reluctantly stood up, continuing his journey. The hours he had been walking felt like days, and his stomach grumbled in protest. He was hungry, tired, and thirsty. He wanted to replenish his hunger with the one remaining petal from the saturation flower. Still, he knew it was best to save it. Water was another story altogether. Most pools of water had some sort of beast drinking from it, and no matter how long he waited, they didn't budge.
He was walking for a while longer when he finally found a stream. He cupped his hands and brought the water to his lips, letting the cool liquid slide down his throat. He then laid down on the bank and let out a long sigh, his body finally relaxing.
He must have dozed off because the next thing he knew, he was shaken awake by a familiar beast.
"Wrecker?! What are you doing here?" He hurriedly stood in his drowsy state, trying to keep a half-baked defensive position.
The lizard-like creature hissed in response and stomped the ground causing Sky to flinch.
"I... I can't fight. I can't even manipulate ether, let alone bring the strength to fight you." He knew he was powerless, and there was no way he could win against Wrecker.
The beast shook its head and hissed again. It then walked up to Sky and then continued to trod past him. To Sky's surprise, it was following the stream, and from what he understood, Wrecker wanted to guide him somewhere.
"O-okay then. I guess I'll follow you." He had no other choice since he was downright lost.
While he walked behind the strange beast, he thought back to his interactions with Avis and the system. He was sure the system would have something to do with Avis's disappearance, but what of the system? The system should be integrated within him, so why won't it respond to his calls? Even Avis was bound to the system, which was affixed to Sky. So, where did they go?
"Status," Sky muttered. He didn't expect it to work, but he guessed that the system was still around. It was just that something was wrong with it. Then, to his surprise, a message appeared.
"Status Loading..."
Sky's status:
Ether Capacity: 100%
Health: 100%
Stamina: 100%
--
Strength: Lvl.7
Agility: Lvl.8
Endurance: Lvl.13
Ether: Lvl.12
--
Skills:
Ether's Eye: Lvl.4
See the world from the perspective of ether.
Ether Manipulation: Lvl.3
Manipulate ether around you.
Strengthened by 'Ether's Acknowledgement'.
Adapted by Unlocked Relics.
Will of Nature: Lvl.1
Imbue your will into the nature around you. The plant's age and your corresponding level will depend on how effective this skill is.
--
Titles:
Error: A Heart of Darkness has evolved...
Error: Correcting Title 'A Heart of Darkness' to 'Opposing Harmony'
Opposing Harmony
Ether's Acknowledgement
Blessing of the Forest
--
Saturn's Relic:
Darkness: Lv.4
Nature: Lv.7
[Locked]: Lv.0
[Locked]: Lv.0
[Locked]: Lv.0
[Locked]: Lv.0
[Locked]: Lv.0
[Locked]: Lv.0
--
'What...? My ether capacity is back to 100%, my levels are substantially higher than yesterday, and my titles have changed?!'
"Expand Titles." He muttered quietly.
"Titles Loading..."
--
Opposing Harmony:
White and black, light and dark, living and dead. One cannot exist without the other. Harmonise two opposing attributes.
Effects:
-80% control over harmonising attributes.
Error: [Unkown]
--
Ether's Acknowledgement:
The user has been recognised by ether.
Effects:
User can now synergise, if only a little, with ambient ether.
Warning:
This title is in the process of evolving. During the process, the title effects will be weakened considerably.
--
Blessing of the Forest:
The heart of the forest has acknowledged the user.
Effects:
User gains the ability to commune with plant life and will have greater influence over nature.
+4 levels to nature attribute.
Healing factor increased by 60%
[Note: Leave this forest and never come back.]
--
"-80% control?! My titles have been weakened, and one of them is telling me to leave the forest?!" He was shaking with anger. "Like any of this was my fault, to begin with?! Avis! System!" He shouted into the sky. There was no response.
Sky bit down his lip as he continued to follow Wrecker. His situation was getting direr and direr by the minute, and he had no idea what he could do to change it.
Hours flew by, and it was already noon. The sun was high in the sky, and the forest was getting unexpectedly less dense. Trees were everywhere, and vines crawled up them, but the area was more open. The stream was getting wider too, and it looked like it was about to end.
"Wrecker, where are we going?" He called to the beast a couple of meters ahead of him.
Ever since Sky saw his status and began yelling curses into the air, Wrecker seemed to keep its distance from Sky.
The beast stopped and turned back to him. It cocked its head to the side before turning around and continuing on its way.
"I guess I'll keep following," Sky muttered to himself.
He was getting tired of this place. He wanted to leave and never come back. But his sense of direction was poor, and he had no idea where he was going. He needed to find a way out of the forest and back to civilisation. But before that, he needed to find Avis and the system. He was sure they were still around here somewhere.
Wrecker stopped moving, and Sky almost ran into it. The beast was looking at something ahead, and Sky followed its gaze. It was an opening; well, that is what Sky thought it was at first. But, to his surprise or dismay, it was an exit. They had finally reached the edge of the forest. The vast open fields with running hills and valleys stretched before him as far as the eye could see. And in the distance, he could see a faint outline of mountains.
"I can... leave?" He looked back at Wrecker. The beast nodded its head before turning away and heading back into the forest's depths.
"No... I can't yet. I need Avis! And the system!" He shouted at the beast, who took a defensive stance.
Sky took a step towards it, and the Wrecker slowly lifted one of its front legs. Sky knew that stance, and he knew if he took another step, he would be impaled by dozens of spikes.
"I need to find them. I can't leave without them." He took a step back, and the beast lowered its leg.
"Please, let me through." He begged, but the beast only looked at him with pity. Finally, it shook its head before grunting and gesturing its head toward the exit.
"You want me to leave...?" He asked, and the beast nodded. "But... I... Thank you for taking me all the way here. I appreciate it."
He turned away from the beast and began walking towards the exit. He didn't know what to do once he left the forest, but he knew he needed to find Avis and the system. He would find a way.