The forest seemed darker this time. The thick, trembling branches overhead clawed at the sky, shifting and swaying against the wind. The late afternoon sun had turned the air blistering, but still, the deep shade clung to the ground and twisted the landscape into a labyrinth of shadows.
Merir stood in the middle of it all, sweat dripping from his brow as his breath came in slow, measured gasps. His palms burned faintly, still aching from repeated attempts to sustain his blade and shield. His fingers flexed and curled at his sides, and his heart hammered against his ribs as the realization set in:
It wasn't enough.
"My strength is borrowed," he thought. The lies—the fragile, brilliant things he shot into existence—flickered faintly around him, imperfect and temporary. They gave him edge, but that edge dulled far too quickly.
His gaze darted through the forest, scanning the twisting undergrowth as faint growls carried on the wind. Beastlings. He wasn't sure if it was the same pack from before or a larger one, but it didn't matter. They had found him again, drawn like moths to weak prey.
Merir clenched his fist, his knuckles popping. He straightened his back, determination flashing in his hazel eyes. No more running. Not this time.
"I came out here to train," he muttered to himself, raising his trembling hand toward the woods in front of him. "It's time to see if I earned anything."
His earlier fights flashed through his mind. The flicker of his unstable blade. The shield faltering in his hands after mere seconds of strain. Breathless teleportation leaving him motionless after just one use. Every failure seared into his memory, sharper than the pain lancing through his body at that moment.
"Focus," he whispered through gritted teeth.
The leaves rustled ahead, and Merir glimpsed the glowing orange eyes of the dread beastlings circling him. One lunged from the shadows first, its sharp, elongated claws raking across the bark as it charged, black fur rippling unnaturally as it moved.
Merir sprang into motion.
---
"This light is a blade!"
The golden light poured into his hand, responding almost too eagerly to his command. The weapon's jagged edges flickered into existence just in time, its rough surface barely holding together as the beastling's claws crashed into him. Sparks of corrupted energy clashed against the unstable blade, and the impact sent vibrations screaming through Merir's arm.
The beastling wasn't deterred—it snarled and dug its claws deeper into the blade's edge, shoving its massive weight forward to overwhelm him. Its breath was foul, hot and acrid against Merir's face.
Gritting his teeth, Merir twisted sharply, dragging the blade down across the beast's claws. The unstable weapon cut jaggedly, piercing through one of its arms and causing the creature to howl with sharp, wild fury.
Another growl erupted to his side, the sound sparking a jolt of panic. He didn't have time—two more shapes darted from the shadows, both beastlings lunging simultaneously toward him. The flickering blade in his hand wouldn't protect him from all three.
"Not enough!" he growled, spinning desperately as the second pair of glinting claws came hurtling toward him.
---
"This light is a shield!"
The new lie tore through his breath like a hammer, the words rippling outward. Golden light shimmered as it expanded over his left arm, forming an uneven, jagged surface. The radiant shield caught the second beastling's strike, stopping it mid-lunge as its claws scraped against the shimmering energy. The impact sent a jarring shock through Merir's arm, nearly making him drop the shield altogether.
But the third beast moved too quickly. Merir saw the flash of orange just as it coiled and leapt.
It was coming straight at his chest.
---
*"I am there, not here!"*
The teleportation ripped through him, pulling him sideways in a violent spiral of light. The forest blurred, the snarling beastlings melting away for one flickering second before slamming back into focus. The air twisted unnaturally, and Merir stumbled out from behind a gnarled tree twenty feet away.
The sudden displacement threw him off balance, his knees buckling as he landed in a crouch. His chest heaved, his energy nearly spent. A sharp headache clawed at his skull—the cost of teleporting again, sapping what little power he had left.
The system's voice hummed faintly in his mind, a cold and distant reminder.
"Lie Gauge: 50%."
Merir grimaced. That's dropping too fast, he thought, clutching his ribs as he pushed himself into a wobbly stance. His jaw tightened as he cast a quick glance at the remnants of his broken blade and fading shield, both dissipating into the air like scattered embers.
One on one? I could've handled that. His eyes darted back to the three beastlings regrouping across the clearing, their glowing eyes locked on to him like hungry embers. Their guttural snarls made the hairs on the back of his neck rise as the largest beast prowled forward, limping slightly but without hesitation.
"Three on one," he muttered, his voice dripping with frustration. "This... this is going to hurt."
The first beast darted forward again, its claws carving grooves into the dirt as it closed the distance. Merir clenched his fists, his body unsteady but his voice strong.
---
"This light is a blade!"
The jagged golden weapon flickered into existence again, and Merir sprinted straight toward the beastling in a desperate gamble. He slid low at the last second, narrowly avoiding its swipe before driving the crude blade up into its ribcage. Primal energy sparked, black ichor splattering the ground as the creature yelped in pain.
But Merir wasn't fast enough.
The second beast circled from behind, slamming its claws into his upper arm. The force of the strike knocked him sprawling to the ground, a sharp cry ripping from his throat as blood seeped into his sleeve. Pain flared hot and fast, yet panic forced him back onto his feet.
The third beast circled closer, snarling, ready to deliver the killing blow.
Merir staggered, his vision flickering. His chest rose and fell in quick, shallow gasps. His arm burned where the claws raked him, but the ache of exhaustion burrowed deeper than any pain.
He stared down the beasts with bloodied lips, his mind racing. No repetition, no hesitation. If he faltered here, he'd die.
This wasn't training. This wasn't a game.
---
The words tumbled from his lips, raw and desperate:
"I am there, not here!"
The light warped again, dragging him out of harm's way as the third beast lunged forward. Its claws slammed into empty air, inches from where he had been standing. Merir reappeared with a staggering spin, landing roughly against the side of a tree trunk just outside the clearing.
The taste of copper filled his mouth, and his legs trembled as he struggled to stand. His body felt hollow, the strength draining out of him faster than he could recover.
"No!" he growled, forcing himself upright. "Not like this!"
The largest beast growled low, its injured form stalking him with unrelenting fury. The other two flanked it, and their synchronized growl sent a chill down Merir's spine.
This time, his words faltered. He tried to summon his blade again—tried to form his shield—but the light refused him. His Lie Gauge had dropped too far.
Exhaustion gripped him. Blood dripped from his injured arm, staining the forest floor. The edges of his vision darkened as his knees threatened to buckle.
---
And yet Merir smiled. It was weak and brittle, but it was defiant.
"Not bad," he muttered, his voice trembling but determined. He wiped the blood from his lips. "Not bad at all."
Even now, facing death, his lies burned brightly in his chest. The fear they had planted in the beastlings' snarls. The wounds he had carved into their dark, corrupted flesh. They were stronger, faster—but he had shaped reality itself.
Merir gritted his teeth and braced himself. He wasn't done yet.