The Wildscourge lived up to its name.
The moment Eragon stepped out of the relative safety of the clearing where he'd bonded with Lunara, the forest seemed to shift around him. Shadows danced unnaturally between the trees, their movements too deliberate to be mere tricks of the light. The air was thick with tension, each breath tinged with the faint, metallic taste of Etherion.
"Stay close," Lunara said, her voice low but firm. Her sapphire eyes scanned their surroundings, her lithe form tense as if ready to spring into action at any moment.
"I'm not a child," Eragon muttered, gripping his knife tighter.
"No, you're worse," Lunara shot back, not bothering to look at him. "You're a fledgling Beastbinder who doesn't know the first thing about survival out here. This forest eats people like you for breakfast."
Eragon bit back a retort, knowing she was right. His survival instincts, honed over years of living on the outskirts of Shard City Nerys, felt woefully inadequate here.
The Wildscourge was unlike any forest Eragon had ever known. Every tree, every blade of grass, seemed alive with Etherion, their colors unnaturally vibrant in the dim light. The ground beneath his boots was soft, almost sponge-like, and pulsed faintly with energy.
"Why does everything feel... wrong?" he asked, glancing around warily.
"Because this isn't your world anymore," Lunara replied. She crouched beside a patch of glowing moss, brushing her fingers lightly over it. "The Wildscourge is a place where Etherion flows freely, unbound by the rules of civilization. It's alive, in a way—and it doesn't like intruders."
As if to prove her point, a low growl echoed from the shadows. Eragon froze, his heart pounding as a pair of glowing red eyes appeared between the trees.
"What is that?" he whispered, raising his knife.
"A Feral Stalker," Lunara said calmly, straightening. "Low-tier beast. Fast, but not very strong."
"Not very strong?" Eragon repeated incredulously as the creature stepped into the light. It was a wiry, four-legged predator with sleek black fur and claws that glinted like obsidian. Its teeth gleamed as it bared its fangs, saliva dripping onto the ground.
"Compared to me," Lunara clarified, a smirk tugging at her lips.
"Great. And what about compared to me?"
Lunara didn't answer. Instead, she stepped aside, gesturing toward the beast. "Go on, then. Fight it."
Eragon blinked at her. "What?"
"You heard me," she said. "If you want to survive here, you'll need to learn how to handle yourself. This is as good a place to start as any."
Before he could argue, the Feral Stalker lunged.
Instinct took over. Eragon sidestepped the beast's initial charge, barely avoiding its snapping jaws. He lashed out with his knife, the blade slicing through the air—but the Stalker was faster, twisting away with a snarl.
"You're too slow!" Lunara called, leaning casually against a tree as if she were watching a game. "Stop thinking like a human. Use the Etherion in your veins!"
"How?" Eragon shouted, narrowly dodging another swipe of claws.
"Feel it," Lunara said. "The mark on your chest—it's not just for decoration. Let it guide you."
Gritting his teeth, Eragon forced himself to focus. The mark pulsed faintly, its warmth spreading through his body. He could feel something—an energy, raw and untamed, waiting to be tapped.
The Stalker lunged again, and this time, Eragon moved without thinking. His body seemed lighter, his movements sharper. He ducked under the beast's attack and drove his knife upward, the blade sinking into the creature's side.
The Stalker howled, staggering back with blood dripping from the wound. Eragon didn't wait for it to recover. He pressed the attack, his strikes fueled by a newfound confidence. Within moments, the beast lay motionless on the ground.
Eragon stood over it, panting, his knife slick with blood. The mark on his chest glowed brighter, and a familiar interface appeared before him:
[Quest Update: The Path to Strength]
Objective: Survive in the Wildscourge for 48 hours.
Progress: 1/3 Feral Beasts defeated.
"Not bad," Lunara said, strolling over to inspect the corpse. "Clumsy, but you'll improve."
Eragon wiped the sweat from his brow, still trembling from the fight. "What now?"
"Now," Lunara said, crouching beside the beast, "we harvest."
Lunara guided Eragon through the process of extracting valuable materials from the Stalker's corpse. Its claws, she explained, could be sold for a decent price in Nerys, while its pelt could be used to craft lightweight armor.
"Etherion beasts are more than just threats," she said as she worked. "They're resources. Learning how to use every part of them is the difference between surviving and thriving."
Eragon nodded, doing his best to mimic her movements. The process was messy and unpleasant, but he understood the importance of it.
As they worked, Lunara continued to explain the Wildscourge's dangers.
"Feral beasts like this one are the least of your worries," she said. "The deeper you go, the stronger the creatures become. Some are intelligent, capable of outthinking even seasoned Beastbinders. Others..." She paused, her expression darkening. "Others are forces of nature. Titans. Pray you never encounter one."
Eragon shivered, though whether it was from her words or the cold night air, he couldn't tell.
Later, as they sat around a small fire Lunara had conjured, Eragon opened the Shop interface again. He'd earned 10 SP from defeating the Stalker, enough to purchase a basic Etherion Healing Salve.
"Go ahead," Lunara said, watching him. "Use it."
Eragon tapped the purchase icon, and a small vial appeared in his hand, shimmering with a faint blue light. He uncorked it and drank, the liquid cool and refreshing. Instantly, the soreness in his muscles faded, replaced by a soothing warmth.
"Not bad," he admitted.
"It's a start," Lunara said. "But don't rely too much on the shop. Out here, resources are limited. You'll need to learn how to create your own solutions if you want to survive."
Eragon nodded, determined. The Wildscourge was dangerous, but with Lunara's guidance and the system's support, he felt a flicker of hope.
"Tomorrow," Lunara said, her voice soft but firm, "we'll find you another challenge. If you want to grow stronger, you'll need to push yourself. Are you ready?"
Eragon met her gaze, his resolve hardening. "I'm ready."