It was the early hours of the morning, the sun had not yet begun to rise. The forest resounded with the chirping of birds and the chorus of crickets.
Ordinarily, those sounds would be the only ones to fill the forest, but on this particular day, when Kael was exiled from the Elvarin Kingdom, the forest echoed with the sounds of whimpering.
Kael was observed crawling deeper into the forest in search of any remedy that could alleviate his condition. Moments earlier, he was informed by Alexa that he had less than two hours to live. Now, he was uncertain if even an hour remained.
Exhausted, his body unresponsive to his commands, he attempted to move forward by grasping a root with his arm, but to no avail. His limbs betrayed him.
"Is there nothing within this forest that can provide me with healing?" He inquired aloud.
ALEXA: UNFORTUNATELY, NO. THERE IS NO SIGN OF A HEALING FLOWER OR MAGIC ORE.
"What of my abilities? Is there no skill that can counteract the poison?" He questioned, coughing up blood as he awaited Alexa's response.
ALEXA: SYSTEM ANALYSIS UNDERWAY!
YOU POSSESS TWO SKILLS. THE UNIQUE ELEMENTAL ABSORPTION AND THE ULTIMATE PREDATOR SKILL.
CATEGORIZED UNDER THE ULTIMATE SKILL. YOU HAVE THE MIMIC TROLLOC ABILITY, CRUSHING ABILITY, POISON BREATHING ABILITY, AND SHADOW MANIPULATION ABILITY.
THE POISON BREATHING ABILITY WEAKENED THE VAITRNIM PURPULAE YOU ABSORBED INTO YOUR BODY, ALLOWING THE TOXIC SUBSTANCE TO CIRCULATE FREELY.
"The poison breathing ability. How did I acquire such a skill?" Kael pondered upon hearing Alexa's voice.
ALEXA: YOU GAINED THE POISON BREATHING ABILITY UPON CONSUMING THE BLACK SERPENT.
THERE IS YET A SKILL PENDING ANALYSIS.
"What skill is that? Can it provide healing?" He inquired while attempting to sit up. Fortunately, there was a tree beside him, against which he leaned.
ALEXA: SKILL ANALYSIS IN PROGRESS. ANALYSIS LOADING.. ANALYSIS FAILED. ANALYSIS LOADING.. FAILED.
"If I possessed a skill capable of curing me, I am certain you would not hesitate to activate it, Alexa," he said, observing his hands, now turned pale white, as were his legs. His hair had also adopted a white hue, and his eyes had receded. He bore the appearance of a specter.
"I am as good as dead regardless. I see no way forward," he remarked, laughing sardonically as he recalled the dragon's words.
"I ought to have heeded Etherion's counsel. I should have returned to my realm," he muttered, panting heavily. Sensing the blood flowing from his stomach to his heart, he coughed up blood while gazing at the crimson sky. The golden sun was ascending from the south.
"Allow me one final glimpse of the sun before I pass," he whispered to himself, using the tree for support as he struggled to stand. Leaning against the tree, he pressed his hands against it, feeling blood trickle down from his nose and tears welling in his eyes.
His demise would undoubtedly be agonizing. Looking skyward, he shut his eyes, embracing his fate.
💦💦💦 The Chamber of Princess Rose 💦💦💦
Knock! Knock!
"I wish not to entertain visitors," Rose responded from within.
"It pertains to your attendant."
Tap! Tap! Tap!
The door creaked open, and Rose ushered the maid into her chamber. It was the same maid who had escorted her maiden to the inn.
"What of her?"
"She is awakening and insists on seeing you," the maid reported with a slight bow.
"I'm not in the mood to see her.. How did she find her way into Kael's quarters to the extent that he took advantage of her. I observed the way she gazed at him with desire. Who is to say she did not entice the young man," she remarked, seating herself on the bed in frustration.
"You are more familiar with her than we are, ma'am, but what I can ascertain with certainty is that she did not desire this outcome," the maid responded, bowing slightly before swiftly exiting the Princess's chamber.
Subsequently, the ambiance shifted as the Princess began contemplating the entire situation. She could potentially discern the complete truth from her handmaiden regarding the primary reason for his violation.
And so, she changed her attire and departed from the chamber, making her way to the inn to seek an explanation from her handmaiden. Upon arriving at the inn, she discovered that her handmaiden was still unconscious.
"Are you trifling with me?" Her voice reverberated throughout the inn, causing all the maids to fall to their knees.
"I beg your pardon, My Lady. She was conscious and requested an audience with you. Suddenly, she began coughing and passed away," the innkeeper explained.
"Whenever she regains consciousness, bring her to me," she commanded, storming out of the inn as the Elves collectively released the breath they had been holding.
It was the first instance of witnessing the Princess in such a state of anger. Her fury was not something they desired to encounter, as they were unable to withstand it. After all, she was the Princess of the Elvarin Kingdom, the Daughter of King Jade, and the guardian of Ellcrys. Princess Rose of the Elvarin Kingdom.
👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾
Kael inhaled deeply as he gradually opened his eyes. "This sensation... Why am I still alive?" he inquired to no one in particular, his body propped against the tree.
ALEXA: ATTENTION. THE ELEMENTAL ABSORPTION ABILITY WAS ACTIVATED. THE ELEMENTAL ABSORPTION ABILITY IDENTIFIED THE TREE AS AN ELEMENT. THE ELEMENTAL ABSORPTION ABILITY ABSORBED ALL THE ESSENCES WITHIN THE TREE, PROVIDING THE BODY WITH A TEMPORARY BOOST.
"So this tree granted me a temporary enhancement. In that case, the trees must have an impact on the poison."
ALEXA: INDEED. IT IS PLAUSIBLE THAT THE TREES HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON THE POISON.
"Well, then what am I hesitating for?" he pondered aloud to himself as he endeavored to rise without the tree's assistance, only to stumble and fall hard to the ground.
"I suppose I will simply have to crawl to the next tree," he muttered to himself, commencing a swift crawl. Despite the lingering pain in his body, the revelation of a possible solution filled his heart with elation. Placing his hands on the subsequent tree, he found himself unable to perceive anything. After repeated attempts, he let out a frustrated sigh.
ALEXA: FOCUS ENTIRELY. LOCATE THE CORE OF THE TREE.
"The Core," he murmured, placing his hands on the tree once more and closing his eyes. Within a minute, he sensed the essences flowing into his body.
"Gosh...This sensation is delightful," he murmured as his skin began to undergo a transformation in hue. Moving on to the next tree, he repeated the process, gradually venturing deeper into the Great Forest of Aethralis.
👹👹👹 The Palace of Arctic 👹👹👹
A cloaked figure was observed bowing before the throne of Lord Arctic of the Loctrum clan, concealing his visage beneath the dark garment.
The throne of Lord Arctic was situated in the dim recesses of the palace, rendering him invisible, yet his imposing presence was palpable not only to the figure but also to his four chiefs in attendance.
"My Lord, King Jade of the Elvarin Kingdom has rendered his final decree. The boy has been exiled from the Elvarin Kingdom, never to set foot there again," the figure announced, breaking the silence that had enveloped the Palace for over thirty minutes.
"Exactly as you foresaw, My Lord. The poison swiftly ravaged his body. I am certain he has perished by now, his remains likely devoured by a Direbrinbare in the vast Aethralis forest."
"Why did it take you so long to eliminate that nuisance?" Lord Arctic's voice reverberated through the ground, prompting the four chiefs to kneel before him. His authoritative tone rendered him more formidable than any other Elves in the region.
"I apologize, My Lord. The boy..."
"It is fortunate that you have disposed of that nuisance. Where are the Elves he freed located?" Lord Arctic inquired.
"They have been accommodated in the West, under the supervision of Chief Mowen and Chief Damien," the figure responded, as Lord Arctic bared his teeth and materialized in front of him shirtless, his tattoos gleaming in the darkness of the palace.
"Prepare the armies. We are launching an assault on the west," he commanded his chiefs.
"My Lord, I thought the plan was for the East. We have already finalized all the arrangements," one of the chiefs, the closest to Lord Arctic, interjected.
"Indeed, but there has been a change of plans. The hidden treasure is missing. Those Elves must be aware of its whereabouts," Lord Arctic explained, before resuming his seat. He conjured a cup of wine, taking a sip.
"Brakor, our next encounter shall mark your demise," he declared, sipping from the cup once more. Gesturing for the figure to depart, he rose, bowed slightly, and exited the palace.
As soon as he stepped outside, he removed his hood, revealing his identity to be none other than General Thalric.
🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡.
The sun has already ascended, illuminating the day with its golden rays that penetrate deeply into the forest. If the sun were not a star but a sentient being, one might be surprised to witness its rays effortlessly piercing through the forest of Aethralis. Contrastingly, it is typically challenging for the sun to reach the depths of the Aethralis forest due to the dense canopy of trees, but today these trees lay lifeless, their leaves withered and devoid of essence, all thanks to a single individual - Kael.
Kael was observed clutching onto an imposing oak tree, the first of its kind he had encountered in this forest. Towering and ancient, with sprawling branches, this oak tree appeared to be the oldest in the region. Unperturbed by his naked state, Kael's attention was solely fixed on extracting the essence from this tree.
Despite his weakened appearance, his body still bore the marks of injuries sustained from the surrounding foliage. The sunlight cast a radiant glow upon his ebony skin and twisted black hair, returning him to his original form - the form he had inhabited when he found himself adrift in an endless ocean.
"I have found it!" Kael exclaimed joyously upon locating the core and standing his ground. However, his elation quickly turned to agony as an overwhelming surge of essence flooded into his body, causing him to stagger and collapse to the ground.
ALEXA : YOU HAVE ABSORBED THE ESSENCE OF 1000 TREES . THE POISON HAS BEEN NEUTRALIZED . ESSENCE CONVERSION HAS BEEN INITIATED. HEALING PROCESS IS UNDERWAY ... HEALING PROCESS IS COMPLETE .
"Why do I not see any improvement in my condition?" Kael queried in disbelief, inspecting his body. The wounds and bruises remained visible, yet he no longer felt any pain.
ALEXA: THE ESSENCES ARE HEALING YOUR INTERNAL SYSTEM . YOUR BODY REQUIRES A HEALING POTION OR MAGIC ORE TO BE FULLY RESTORED."
"Ah... So, with a healing potion, my skin will return to its light complexion?"
ALEXA : INDEED.
"WOW. I must gather more essences for future use," Kael mused to himself, resuming his quest as he noticed black spots covering the oak tree before him.
"Alexa, what is the meaning of these black spots on the tree?"
ALEXA : THE OAK TREE EXHIBITS NO SIGNS OF LIFE .
"It's dead... How?" Kael inquired in shock.
ALEXA : YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS DEMISE
"I am..." Kael muttered, surveying the surroundings and realizing that all the trees had turned black.
ALEXA : THE ESSENCES SUSTAINED THEIR lives. WITHOUT IT , THEY CANNOT SURVIVE.
As Alexa completed her explanation, the ground trembled violently, causing Kael to struggle to maintain his balance against the oak tree.
"Alexa, why is the ground shaking?"
ALEXA: ALERT. A LEVEL 10 MAGICAL MONSTER IS APPROACHING YOUR LOCATION. SHALL I ACTIVATE THE ULTIMATE PREDATOR SKILL?"
Kael discerned Alexa's voice as he turned to witness a sizable creature approaching him. The colossal beast's paw collided with the earth, causing him to lose his balance and tumble to the ground. It obliterated the tree obstructing its path, leaping high into the air before landing directly in front of Kael.
ALEXA: ATTENTION. THIS IS A DIREBRINBARE. A LEVEL 10 MYTHICAL BEAST. THE MONSTER HOLDS THE RANK OF FIVE AMONG CELESTIAL NOVICES. ULTIMATE PREDATOR ABILITY HAS BEEN INITIATED.
Kael slowly rose to his feet and extended his hand towards the creature, finally seeing it clearly.
The monster possessed crimson fur and a seal-like visage, with its four limbs terminating in razor-sharp claws. Its eyes were minute, and its mouth unusually wide, featuring two elongated teeth that reached down to its abdomen.
"Ultimate Predator Skill: Devourer," he intoned as dark smoke billowed from his hand, hurtling towards the monster. In response, the creature exhaled black flames from its mouth, engulfing the dark smoke.
Kael's eyes widened as the monster countered his attack, baring its teeth and digging its claws into the ground, preparing to charge at him.
"Alexa... What is the next course of action?" Kael inquired of the system as the Direbrinbare lunged towards him.
ALEXA: I RECOMMEND YOU FLEE.
Kael swiftly pivoted and began sprinting deeper into the forest, his manhood dangling left and right as he was pursued by a level 10 mystical creature.
To be continued...