Time had passed..
Zach's decayed bones lay lifeless on the rocky shores of the harsh mountain plains, the vast darkness was gone as the harsh rays of the sun casted a bright golden glow over the black stoned mountains.
There in a nearby cave a sticky black goo emerged, writhing and wiggling as it moved towards Zach corpse
<[You have received the death rune....]>
<[The rune of rebirth.. has taken effect]>
<[Rise seeker.]>
Zach bones slowly reverted into flesh, all this organs appeared as skin began covering his body.
Zach's eye twitched as he slowly stood up from his position.
Zach clenched his chest, which seemed to be clogged, he couched and a black substance flew out of his mouth, dissipateing into a pile of black smoke as it collided
"How.. the hell am I still alive?"
"The rune of rebirth.. did I just come back to life?" Zach grinned.
*Even the astryx doesn't what me to die*
Zach glanced at his palm..
He looked to his side to see a black goo-like substance, that was the size of a grown mans fist , slowly making it's way towards him.
Zach looked around, it wasn't dark anymore instead two white suns hung over the horizon cast a bright golden glow over the mountains.
Zach's energy was drained, his stomach growled, and his body hurt all over, he managed to stand up straight, grabbed his sheathed longsword, and headed towards the other side of the mountain.
He felt a tickle in his leg t see the goo like substance, engulfing his feet, he sighed... and with a brutal stomp crushed to goo.
<[Congratulations you have found an astra] >
<[Please touch to absorb]>
Zach's eyes widened as he looked at the black goo in found of him, "was this really an astra" he thought, it seemed to unrealistic an astra would appear here..
"This is definitely my lucky day...", a slight smile appeared on Zach's face as he placed the his hands on the shattered pieces of black goo, the black goo reacted, swirling, as it gripped his hand, creating a thin scale like pattern from his hands to his elbow.
<[Star grade Astra- healing beacon has been acquired]>
Zach's smile widened..
Astras are special items found in the astryx, these special items also come with certain conditions to work, like for example a knife that can only be used to defend instead of attack..
The voice spoke again.
<[The star rank healing beacon can only be used on injuries the user inflicts on himself]>
Zach Smile instantly turned to a frown,
"What the hell.."
How was he supposed to use the beacon if it only heals injuries he inflicts on himself, that was a pointless treasure. "well.. to actually find a useful astra one would have to brave the most dangerous pillars so in retrospect, actually find an astra lying around was already good enough."
"Sigh...What was I expecting?".
Zach sighed as he stood up.
Zach spent the rest of the day exploring around, the cave near the rocky shores were a great camping spot so Zach immediately checked there, thankfully it was an abandoned nest of an unknown creature so Zach decided to crash at the nest.
Night came.
Zach stared at the bonfire as he pondered, finding wood in this part of the rocky mountain was harder than expected, he picked up a twig and used to tip to scratch his palm making a small cut appear, blood dripped ed from it, immediately the black slime with was dormant looking like a black glove on Zach right hand instantly moved, covering the cut, it returned to it's original position, and the cut that was once on Zach's palm was no longer there.
Zach turned off the bonfire shortly after, it was better not to attract any monsters with the bright light, and besides the glowing boulders provided enough lighting for him.
****
The morining came as Zach walked out of the cave, he had to sleep with an empty stomach yesterday and the day before that..
He was starving, thankfully he found a suitable weak monster, he could pursue.
In the slopes of the black mountain Zach stood with his longsword unsheathed as he looked down vigilantly, below the slopes was a giant maggot squirming below, possibly trying to find shade from the sword, if Zach times it incorrectly the maggot could signal the other beasts nearby.
Zach gripped the long sword hiding behind a boulder as he squinted his eyes Lazer focused, the maggot like creature squirmed slowly, on the rocky surface of the slope its body left behind a disgusting odour.
Zach didn't know anything about this creature but there was one thing he knew, it was weak.
Now..
Zach jumped off the boulder driving his sword deep into the creatures soft skin, purple gas oozed out of the maggots wound with an offensive odour, the creatures squirmed even more as Zach drives the sword deeper to cause the creature to die quickly.
The creature didn't die so easily it wiggled as it's body secreted a transparent goo as its movements became stiff.
It was finally dead.
After a grueling hour of trying to kill this beast it was finally done, Zach covered his nose the smell from the corpse of the creature could give nightmares.
Zach spent no time immediately began harvesting it's meat, due to the texture the meat was probably going to go bad in a day so he just needed to eat his fill and throw the rest.
Zach cut off a huge chunk of flesh and put it in a black pouch.
*ROAR*
A loud roar echoed behind Zach, Zach jumped back readying his sword.
In front of him was a monstrosity unlike no other, a huge mandibles, hundreds of long legs that were as long as a two story building, Zach couldn't see the full length of it's body because it stretched as far as Zach could see.
"Damm am I going to die again?"
The millipede-like creature leapt at Zach it long legs slashing at Zach, Zach only managed to dodge the attack by an inch.
"I have to run!.."
Zach bolted towards the other side of the mountain, where the cave was, the millipede wasted no time and was already on his trail.
The millipede steps made the ground quake, as it chased Zach it caused a mini earthquake as it legs left destruction at it's wake.
Zach chest burned as he panted, his stamina was decreaseing, his throat burned as his legs screamed to be released from the pain, Zach stumbled as his foot crashed against a rock.
Behind him the millipede opened it's terrifying mandibles and a earth splitting sound came forth, causing the ground beneath Zach's feet to tremble.
He fell.
"Ahh Damm it.." he tried to block with his sword but the sword shattered opon impact with the millipedes leg, a powerful wave of pain surged through him.
His stomach was split open as thick red blood gushed out, he collapsed on his back clutching his shoulder, the shadow of the millipede like creature towered over him like a deadly mountain, it's brown scales glistening under the radiant sun.
Its mandibles, which seemed to be hungry for flesh opened as its eyes stared at Zach greedily.
*Gulp*
The millipede lounged, opening it's maw Zach clenched his teeth.
*Boom*
A spitting sound was heard and the millipedes head was split open wide like a fruit spit in half.
"What the hell"
[Authors note: if you find any mistakes please let me know. Please comment it encourages me.]