**Rael's Blessing.**
It was one of the most mysterious abilities of the protagonist, a power that I never fully understood. Rael's Blessing allowed him to negate lethal attacks, yet the inner workings of it remained shrouded in obscurity. For some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that this blessing would be crucial in my own journey, a vital key to staying alive and navigating this unfamiliar world.
*Ugh...* A sigh escaped my lips, heavy with a mix of frustration and lingering unease.
"Alright, let's think this through," I muttered to myself, trying to focus amidst the haze of unanswered questions.
Here I was, stranded on the outskirts of some unknown forest on the continent, completely at a loss for what to do next. Az—my supposed guide, a spirit I had tentatively named "that bastard"—had fallen silent, leaving me adrift and without a single clue. It was as though he had abandoned me the moment I needed him most.
*Another sigh.*
At least the sun had begun to rise, casting a warm, golden glow over the trees. The morning light filtered through the dense canopy, bathing the forest in a surreal, almost magical beauty. Shafts of sunlight danced on the dew-drenched leaves, while birds chirped unseen in the branches. The air was filled with a sense of untouched wilderness, a place free from humanity's endless meddling. Despite my predicament, I found a small comfort in the forest's pristine beauty.
Pushing aside the awe, I forced myself to focus. I took stock of my surroundings, hoping to find some indication of where I was or what I should do next. My last memory was of awakening my powers—or at least attempting to—in a darkened room. Now, I found myself standing in the middle of nowhere, as if the forest had swallowed me whole.
My stomach growled, reminding me of a more immediate need. Food. I couldn't remember the last time I had eaten, as the attempt to awaken my Blessing had consumed all my energy and left me in a weakened state. I was in desperate need of sustenance; my body felt frail, almost hollow.
I glanced at my arms and my stomach, lifting the worn fabric of my clothes to get a better look. I could see the sharp outline of my ribs, an uncomfortable reminder of how far I'd fallen from my former life. Since I'd left the mansion, my health had been in a steady decline, and I was beginning to look like a walking skeleton.
*Another sigh.*
"Alright," I mumbled to myself, determined to at least find some berries, edible roots, or anything that could stave off starvation. "I'll have to find something to eat soon or I'll be fertilizer before long."
As appealing as the thought of hunting down a wild beast sounded, I knew it was out of the question. Without any weapons or knowledge of this forest, the idea was laughable at best. More so, I was wary of accidentally crossing paths with a high-tier mana beast. Such an encounter would be nothing short of a death sentence.
Mana beasts were categorized into two main types: Mutants and Evolved. Each was divided into tiers, with high-level mana beasts ranging from tier 6 to 10, and lower-level ones ranging from tier 1 to 5. Above them all were mystical creatures like dragons and Ryqens—legendary beasts that held powers comparable to the gods. Even the presence of one in the vicinity was enough to wipe out entire armies.
The primary difference between Mutant and Evolved mana beasts was their mana control. A Mutant was a normal beast that had absorbed enough mana from its environment to transform, gaining raw strength and resilience. Evolved beasts, on the other hand, were born with the ability to wield mana, making them significantly more dangerous. A tier 1 evolved beast could easily overpower a tier 1 mutant, and a tier 2 mutant would have to struggle to keep up.
In short, I needed to avoid these creatures at all costs. My only hope was to find a low-tier mutant that wouldn't rip me to shreds on sight.
With that in mind, I scouted the forest floor for any potential weapons. Rocks, sticks, anything that could help me defend myself, however briefly. But as I moved through the underbrush, I found nothing but twigs, leaves, and more disappointment.
"Damn it!" I cursed under my breath, feeling frustration clawing at my insides. If I couldn't find a weapon soon, I'd be helpless against any threat, even a minor one.
*Wait… my blessing!*
The memory of what had happened in the warehouse. Back then, I had manifested something... flames, perhaps? Red, eerie flames. I still wasn't sure how I'd done it, but maybe it was worth trying again. If I could harness those flames, even a tiny spark might give me a fighting chance.
Fear. That had been the trigger. I had felt fear so intense that it unleashed something deep within me, a hidden rage that I could barely contain. The memory was vivid, yet unsettling. It wasn't like me to give in to fear so easily. Something had been different in that moment—almost as if another presence had drawn that fear out of me.
*Another sigh.*
Setting aside my confusion, I tried to concentrate. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and began stirring the mana within me, focusing on the image of those red flames. I pictured them as clearly as I could, hoping to ignite that spark once more.
Slowly, I felt something respond. The mana inside me began to move, a faint warmth spreading through my veins. There was a build-up, a feeling of pressure, and then...
Rage.
An intense wave of fury surged within me, so powerful it made my hands shake. My vision blurred, and a primal, unexplainable anger filled every corner of my being. I couldn't understand it, couldn't stop it. It was as if something dark, hidden within, had been released.
"What... What's happening?" I muttered, panic creeping into my voice. The feeling was foreign, terrifying. It was like I was losing control, becoming someone—or something—else entirely.
Before I could comprehend it, I felt my consciousness slipping, pulled into a deep, dark void. There was a silence here, so profound that it swallowed every thought, every sound. And in that silence, I heard a faint whisper, like a distant memory resurfacing.
"Dad, where is Mom?"
The words echoed in the darkness, chilling me to my core. A question, innocent and filled with yearning. A child's voice, filled with confusion and pain.
I stood there, paralyzed in the darkness, gripped by a fear far greater than anything I had felt before. This voice—it felt real, far too real. And with each passing moment, I couldn't shake the feeling that this voice, this question, was meant for me.
A tear slipped down my cheek, the answer just out of reach.