After experimenting with fire magic and feeling satisfied with the results, Zephyr decided to move on.
"I'll try water magic next," he muttered, excitement glinting in his eyes.
This time, he didn't just shout random spells. Instead, he visualized small beads of water coalescing into a sphere. Instantly, he felt the now-familiar soothing sensation of Ether flowing through his veins. A moment later, droplets began to form, rising from his hand and gathering into a ball about four inches in diameter.
Zephyr willed the water sphere to hover toward his face, and it obeyed effortlessly. As soon as it was close enough, he buried his face into the cool water, drinking deeply. He almost choked himself in his eagerness, but the relief was worth it.
"Man, that felt amazing," he said with a satisfied grin. "Now, time to try something else."
He thought for a moment before deciding, "How about a water blade?"
Focusing his imagination, he willed more water to form, compress, and shoot forward in a concentrated stream. As he visualized this, a sharp pain shot through his arm, spreading to his palm. A single drop of water, less than an inch in diameter, formed levitating above his palm . Suddenly, the water shot forward in a thin, high-pressure stream, slicing through leaves and small plants effortlessly.
Zephyr staggered back a few steps from the recoil, his heart racing. "I really need to be careful with that," he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.
Feeling emboldened, he decided to try earth magic next. However, before he could manipulate even a grain of sand, dizziness overtook him. His vision blurred, and his legs gave out beneath him. With a loud thud, he collapsed to the ground. He felt completely drained, as if all the energy in his body had been siphoned away. Darkness quickly consumed him.
---
Zephyr awoke to the crimson light of the evening shining through gaps in the tree canopy. The forest around him glowed in the golden hues of the setting sun, casting a surreal, peaceful atmosphere.
"This place is beautiful," he murmured, taking in the view.
After a few moments of awe, he began piecing together why he had fainted. "It's probably because of how much Ether I used," he concluded. "I'll need to manage my usage better. Fainting in a fight could be a death sentence."
Glancing at the setting sun, he realized he needed shelter. "Now, how the fuck am I supposed to do this shit ?" he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice.
Nevertheless, he got to work, recalling survival tips he'd seen on old Discovery Channel shows. With a bit of determination and two hours of hard labor—mostly cutting branches—he managed to assemble a crude makeshift tent.
"Damn, that looks like a sorry excuse for a tent," Zephyr said, shaking his head.
Still, it offered some comfort. "Better than nothing," he muttered, sitting down to rest.
Next on his list was food. His stomach growled, and night had already fallen. Hunting monsters was out of the question—he was too weak, and his spells weren't enough to ensure a safe hunt. He wasn't foolish enough to risk death by attacking something he couldn't handle. He'd seen monsters while scavenging for supplies earlier, and though the temptation to hunt them was strong, his instincts told him to stay hidden.
Zephyr understood he would need to learn how to hunt to survive in this forest. It was a necessity, not a choice. But for tonight, he needed a safer alternative.
Summoning a dim, levitating fireball to avoid drawing attention, Zephyr muttered, "What better thing to eat here than fish?" His mind wandered to the rivers he'd seen from the hill earlier. With renewed determination, he prepared to find his meal.