As I leap from branch to branch, the weight of Lysara's words lingers in my mind. The forest, a labyrinth of shadows and whispers, seems to watch me, its hidden eyes following my every move. I can't help but feel a sense of urgency, a need to grow stronger, not just for my survival but to understand why I am favored by the shadows.
Landing gracefully near the cave, I pause, scanning the area. The quiet rustling of leaves and the distant calls of unseen creatures create a symphony of the wild, a constant reminder of the living, breathing world around me.
"I need to be quick," I murmur to myself. "First, food, then dealing with the bandits."
Inside the cave, Lysara is waiting, her ethereal form shimmering in the dim light. "Ready for your first hunt, Cain?" she asks, her tone laced with both challenge and encouragement.
I nod, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension. "Yes, but where do I start?"
"Follow your instincts, Cain. You're more attuned to this forest than you realize. Trust yourself," Lysara advises, her eyes glinting with confidence.
Taking a deep breath, I step out of the cave. The forest seems different now, more alive, as if responding to my newfound determination. I focus on my senses, letting them guide me.
Cain stood at the edge of the clearing outside the forest, his gaze lingering on the creatures that had been his silent companions in the forest. The deer, with their gentle eyes, and the curious rabbits seemed to look at him with an unspoken trust, a trust he now found himself hesitant to betray.
His hand tightened around the spear, the weight of his decision pressing heavily upon him. "Lysara," he whispered, his voice barely more than a murmur against the rustling leaves. "I don't know if I can do this. It doesn't feel right."
Materializing beside him, Lysara's form shimmered with a quiet strength. Her eyes, reflecting the dappled sunlight, met his with understanding. "Cain, the forest is a place of survival, but it is also a place of harmony. You must follow your heart and make the choice that aligns with your spirit."
"But I need to eat to survive," Cain countered, his brow furrowed in conflict. "Yet, harming these creatures, who've shown me nothing but curiosity, feels like a betrayal of their trust."
Lysara nodded thoughtfully. "Survival often requires difficult choices. However, there are ways to live in harmony with the forest. You have other skills, Cain. Use them. Explore, learn, and find sustenance that does not break this bond of trust."
Cain's eyes brightened with resolve. He lowered his spear, turning to scan the forest. "I'll find another way. I'll find an animal that didn't have his trust and didn't accompany me. It might be harder, but I feel it's the right thing to do."
A small smile graced Lysara's lips. "That is a wise choice, Cain. The forest offers much to those who respect its ways. This path may challenge you, but it will also teach you."
With a newfound resolve, Cain stepped deeper into the forest, guided by Lysara's wisdom and his moral compass. He was determined to find sustenance without harming the animals that had shown him curiosity and trust.
"Cain, remember, the forest is vast and diverse. Look for a creature that doesn't share this bond with you," Lysara advised, her voice a gentle nudge in his conscience.
Cain nodded, his eyes scanning the dense foliage. He moved with purpose, yet his steps were careful and respectful of the life teeming around him. The sun filtered through the treetops, casting a kaleidoscope of light and shadows—a world alive with hidden wonders and unseen watchers.
As he ventured further, the familiar creatures of the clearing disappeared, replaced by the less familiar and the less curious. He noticed a lone creature, a small boar, unaware of his presence. It was not one of the animals that had followed him, and it seemed to belong to a different part of the forest.
"This one," Cain murmured, feeling a mix of determination and regret. "It hasn't seen me. It doesn't know me."
Lysara appeared beside him, her form blending with the dappled light. "It's the cycle of life, Cain. You honor it by acknowledging its value."
Cain readied himself, his movements a blend of the hunter's focus and the learner's keenness. Standing on a branch over the boar, who was eating some fruits without a care. He hadn't felt me yet.
I take Night's Winspher in my hand and prepare mentally and physically to throw it toward the shadow boar, who is a soldier-class animal but a lot weaker than the Grendelwolf that I killed before.
As I am making my preparations to throw the spear and take the life of the animal, I hear Lysara's voice in my head. *Put all your strength into this trow, Cain; do not hold back; give it a swift head.
And I threw it, with all the force I could muster, the spear flying toward the boar's back, with her sharpness going straight threw it, hitting his heart, and killing it on the spot. "Nice throw!"
Making my way down from the tree and toward the dead animal, I summon my soul-weapon back to my side, just in case. When I arrived at the boar, I could see that it was a young one. Not yet reaching adulthood, but not a child either.
"A juvenile," says Lysara, materializing next to it. This explains why you manage to piece his hide so easily. It didn't mature enough. And that is a good thing; the meat is going to be tender. Good job, Cain. Congratulations on your first successful hunt! Use your knife to take just a portion of his meat. You will not be able to move the entire boar by yourself with your current strength."
"Mhm, thank you, Lysara." I make my way to the boar, taking my knife from the left side of the leather trousers, and cut a large piece of meat from the boar's left thigh. I also cut one from the right one and put both in my backpack. This should be enough for 2 days. If I manage to cook them, Good thing I have my condiments from my mother.
It's time to go back to the cave and try cooking for the first time.
As I make my way back, I can feel the shadows of the forest growing more curious about me but also more trusty, maybe because I didn't break her trust. Or maybe because of the hunter spirit, I started to develop. In any case, it is grateful to me for not killing the curious little animals that were following me and starting to do it again.
In the heart of the Shadow Forest, where the light barely penetrated the dense canopy, the Spirit of the Forest, a mystical entity embodying the essence of this ancient place, watched Cain's actions with interest. Her form, ethereal and elusive, flickered like a shadow in the twilight. A raven-like girl with dark, shadowy wings and a human-like figure, she stood about 160 cm tall, her skin a rich tan that blended seamlessly with the forest's dark hues.
She turned her attention to a small fox, one of the creatures that had been following Cain. "Follow him," she whispered, her voice a melodious echo that seemed to come from the forest itself. "Watch over him and report back. He is different, this child of murder."
The fox, with eyes that held a glimmer of understanding beyond that of a normal animal, nodded subtly and darted away, swift and silent.
The Spirit of the Forest, her gaze following the fox, spoke softly to herself. "The Child of Murder is in my domain, yet he chooses to hunt with honor, refusing to spill blood without need. Such a rare spirit in one so marked by sin." Her lips curled into a thoughtful smile. "So be it, child of sin. You have earned my blessing, the blessing of shadows."
As she spoke, a gentle breeze stirred the leaves around her, carrying her words throughout the forest. "It is up to you now to awaken this power, Cain. The path you tread is yours to shape, guided by the shadows and the choices you make."
Her figure slowly dissolved into the air, becoming one with the forest once more, leaving behind a sense of watchful guardianship over Cain and a silent vow to observe his journey in this realm.
Meanwhile, Cain, unaware of the spirit's presence, continued his way back to the cave, his mind occupied with thoughts of cooking his first meal. The shadows of the forest seemed to embrace him, a subtle sign of the forest's newfound trust and curiosity.
As he walked, the small fox, acting as the Spirit's emissary, followed at a distance, its keen eyes observing his every move. In the shadows of the trees, it moved with stealth and purpose, a silent guardian watching over the young hunter.
The spirit of the forest had spoken. Cain, the Child of Murder, had begun to forge a new path, one that resonated with the ancient and mystical energies of the Shadow Forest.
As the evening shadows lengthened, Lysara, manifesting beside Cain in the cave, watched him intently. Her connection to him, deepened by their soul bond, allowed her to feel subtle shifts in his essence. Recently, a new layer had woven itself into the tapestry of his soul—a dormant power that pulsed with the dark energy of the forest.
Cain, absorbed in the task of preparing his meal, was oblivious to the change within him. But Lysara, attuned to the slightest alteration in his spirit, understood that something profound had occurred.
"Interesting," she murmured to herself, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully as she observed him. "I knew you would never bore me, Cain. But to receive the blessing of shadows so swiftly? Lucky bastard."
A smirk played on her lips—a mix of amusement and intrigue. This development added an unexpected twist to their journey, a variable she hadn't anticipated. Cain, still just a child in many ways, had somehow earned the favor of the ancient and enigmatic Spirit of the Forest.
Lysara pondered whether to reveal this information to Cain. After a moment of contemplation, she decided against it. "No," she thought, "he mustn't know. Not yet. His path is his to discover, and this knowledge might alter his course unnaturally."
She believed in Cain's potential, in his ability to grow and adapt. Telling him about the blessing could potentially hinder his development and rob him of the chance to evolve through his own experiences and choices.
With a graceful movement, Lysara vanished, leaving Cain to his thoughts and the quiet of the cave. She would keep watch over him and guide him when necessary, but she would not interfere with the natural unfolding of his destiny.
In the quiet of the cave, as Cain ate his meal, he remained unaware of the silent guardian who had just left his side or the gift he had unknowingly received. The night deepened around him, a cloak of mystery and possibility, as the Spirit of the Forest's blessing lay dormant within him, waiting for the right moment to awaken.