Kael woke to the sound of water trickling from the waterfall, the steady rush of it soothing in contrast to the constant tension of the forest around him. His body ached from the rough sleep, his muscles stiff, but there was a strange sense of comfort in the small cave. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than a branch in a tree. And for the first time in a while, he had a semblance of a plan.
He glanced at the crude spear he had fashioned the previous day, resting beside his makeshift sleeping area, the blade still crude and rough, but sharper than anything he'd had before. His sword—his boon from the Tower—lay across his lap, its weight familiar now. He had spent the night running his fingers along the hilt, half expecting it to disappear or fade into mist. But it hadn't.
Kael wasn't a warrior, not by any stretch of the imagination, but he was learning. Slowly. And one thing he'd come to realize during his brief time here was that he couldn't just sit and wait. He needed food. Real food. The meat from the demonic leopard was gone, and he couldn't live off random fruit he didn't trust.
It was time to hunt.
Kael gathered his things, took another long drink from the lake, and set off into the forest. His body was still healing—his arm, while scarred, no longer throbbed with pain—but his instincts were sharper now. His eyes scanned every shadow, every rustling leaf, his mind already bracing for the worst.
He knew he wasn't a predator here, not by any means. He was prey, just like everything else. But there were smaller creatures roaming the forest, and if he could catch one, it might just be enough to keep him alive for another day.
"Just survive. One step at a time."
Kael moved silently through the trees, his spear clutched tightly in his hand as he prowled the outskirts of the forest near the waterfall. He'd been cautious, careful to stay near the edge of the lake where he could quickly retreat to safety if needed, but so far, he hadn't seen anything worth hunting.
That was until he spotted something small darting between the underbrush—a creature, rabbit-like in appearance but with a single horn jutting from its forehead. Its fur was sleek and black, blending almost seamlessly into the shadows, and its movements were quick, jittery, as if it sensed danger all around.
Kael crouched low, his breath shallow as he slowly raised the spear. Alright. Just stay still.
He aimed, holding his breath. The creature twitched its nose, nibbling at something hidden in the grass. Kael narrowed his eyes, focusing, lining up the shot. He could do this. He could—
Suddenly, the creature bolted, its ears flicking back in alarm. Something had spooked it. Kael froze, his heart sinking.
"What the hell—"
A loud crash erupted behind the rabbit, followed by the sound of something heavy barreling through the trees. Kael's eyes widened as he spotted the source—a massive, boar-like creature, tusks sharp and gleaming, its body covered in rough, black fur that rippled with every movement. The boar was charging blindly, its head swinging from side to side as it crashed through the forest.
The rabbit was long gone, but Kael had bigger problems.
The boar locked eyes with him, its nostrils flaring as it let out a guttural snort. Kael didn't need to think twice. He raised his spear, bracing for impact.
"This again?"
The boar charged, its hooves pounding against the forest floor, the sound like thunder in Kael's ears. He tried to stay calm, focusing on the creature's movements. It was faster than he expected, its bulk not slowing it down in the slightest. He barely had time to adjust before it was on him.
Kael thrust the spear forward, aiming for the boar's chest, just as the creature lunged at him with terrifying speed. The spear struck true, piercing the boar's hide and sinking deep into its flesh, but the force of the impact knocked Kael to the ground. The boar didn't stop—it slammed into him with full force, knocking the wind out of his lungs as its massive body pinned him beneath it.
For a moment, Kael couldn't breathe. The weight of the boar crushed him, its foul breath hot against his face as it thrashed and roared in pain. Blood poured from the wound, but the creature wasn't dead. Not yet.
Kael's vision blurred as the boar reared back, its tusks glinting dangerously as it prepared to gore him. His heart pounded in his chest. He barely managed to roll to the side as one of the tusks slammed into the ground, inches from his neck, grazing it in the process.
"Too close. Way too close."
His mind raced, panic setting in as he realized the spear wasn't enough. The boar was still alive, still furious, and now it was even more enraged.
Kael's hand instinctively reached for his core, the strange sense of power within him stirring. Without thinking, without truly understanding what he was doing, he summoned the sword.
In an instant, the crude steel blade appeared in his hand, its weight reassuring in the chaos. Kael didn't hesitate. With a grunt of effort, he plunged the sword into the boar's side, driving it deep between its ribs.
The boar let out a deafening screech, its body convulsing as blood poured from the wound. For a brief moment, it thrashed wildly, its tusks tearing up the earth around them. Kael held on, his grip on the sword tight as he twisted the blade, driving it deeper into the beast's flesh.
Then, with one final shudder, the boar collapsed on top of him, its body going limp.
Kael lay there, panting, his chest heaving as the weight of the boar pressed down on him. He was covered in blood—some of it his own, most of it the boar's—and his neck throbbed painfully where the tusks had grazed him. But he was alive.
"Not… dead," Kael muttered, his voice weak as he pushed the boar's body off him. He rolled onto his back, gasping for air, the sword still clenched in his hand.
"I'm not dead."
The sword disappeared from his grip as quickly as it had come, fading back into the strange space within him.
Before Kael could fully process what had just happened, the Tower's voice echoed in his mind, deep and resonant, filling the air around him.
[Congratulations, Challenger Kael]
Kael groaned, closing his eyes.
"Here we go again."
[You have earned a boon through battle.]
Kael opened his eyes, staring up at the canopy above, his chest still rising and falling with each labored breath. Another boon. Another reward. He wasn't sure if he should be grateful or annoyed at this point. The Tower seemed to have a habit of waiting until he was on the brink of death to hand out these rewards.
He let out a breathless laugh, wiping the blood from his face with the back of his hand.
"Starting to see a pattern here," he muttered, a wry grin tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Kill something, nearly die, get a boon. Rinse and repeat, huh?"
Kael shook his head, still lying in the dirt beside the dead boar. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take, but one thing was certain—he was learning. Slowly but surely, he was figuring out how this cursed trial worked.
He wiped more blood from his face, rolling onto his side and sitting up. He knew the drill by now—whatever the Tower had given him, it would be waiting in that strange space within his core. All he had to do was reach for it.
Kael closed his eyes and focused inward, his awareness sinking into his core. The familiar pulse of energy greeted him, but this time, there was something new. Something solid, waiting for him. His mind stretched toward it, fingers brushing against the object hidden within.
And then, with a soft thud, something materialized in his hands.
Kael opened his eyes and stared down at the object in disbelief. A belt, made of sturdy black leather, lay across his lap, and attached to it were a series of basic tools—exactly what he needed to survive.
A small skinning knife, its blade sharp and gleaming, hung from one side. There was a set of flint and steel, a pouch for storage, and a small flask, all securely fastened to the belt. Everything was neatly organized, each tool perfectly crafted for survival.
Kael blinked, running his fingers over the leather belt, half-expecting it to disappear like a mirage. But no—it was real. Tangible. And exactly what he needed.
"The Tower's got a sense of humor, doesn't it?" Kael muttered, shaking his head.
"Could've used this before I almost died of exhaustion trying to light a fire."
Despite his sarcasm, Kael couldn't help but feel relieved. The Tower had given him exactly what he needed—a way to start fires, tools for hunting and gathering, and even some storage for food and water.
It was almost… kind. In a twisted, trial-by-death kind of way.
"Alright," Kael said, pushing himself to his feet. "Let's see what we can make of this."
He fastened the belt around his waist, adjusting the fit, and grabbed the skinning knife. It felt light in his hand, the blade perfectly balanced. With a grimace, Kael knelt beside the dead boar and began to skin it, cutting away strips of meat and fur as best he could.
The work was crude—Kael wasn't exactly an expert at this—but he managed to salvage enough meat for a few meals and some strips of the boar's hide that might be useful later. The fur was rough, but it might serve as a makeshift blanket if he could figure out how to dry and cure it.
Satisfied with his work, Kael wiped the blood from his hands and gathered up his spoils. With the belt's pouch and flask, he had a way to store and carry everything back to his camp.
The sun was already dipping below the horizon by the time he returned to the cave, but for once, Kael felt… prepared. He had tools, supplies, and enough meat to last him through the night.
And for the first time since entering this cursed trial, he felt like maybe—just maybe—he could survive.