Rustle* rustle*
Hearing the faint rustling sound, Kael's entire body tensed. His eyes snapped to the source as he pushed himself upright, adopting a defensive stance. His hands instinctively curled, ready to summon a Rune Circle if necessary. The dense foliage ahead of him parted slowly, revealing the culprit.
Hiss*
A small, owl-like creature emerged, no larger than the ones he remembered seeing back on Earth. Its round, wide eyes stared unblinkingly at him, and its head tilted side to side with a rhythmic, curious motion that reminded him of a chicken inspecting its surroundings.
"Blop blop."
The ridiculous sound the creature made almost shattered Kael's tension. Seeing no immediate danger, his vigilance melted into amusement. An intrusive thought took root in his mind, and before he could stop himself, he acted on it.
Kael lunged forward suddenly, flailing his arms and shouting.
"Ahhhggrrrrr!"
The startled creature let out a cacophony of squawks.
"Buckk cucckkk!!" It flapped its stubby wings desperately, running in panicked circles before diving back into the bushes in a haphazard retreat.
Kael froze mid-pose, his expression filled with amusement. Then he burst into uncontrollable laughter, doubling over with tears forming in his eyes.
"What a stupid chicken," Kael managed between chuckles, shaking his head.
After catching his breath, he glanced at the bushes where the bird had disappeared, a pang of regret creeping in. "Damn, I should have tried to catch it. Roasted chicken tastes good... or was it a bird?"
He sighed and turned his gaze back to the massive corpse of the tiger-like beast. "Now, how should I take care of this?"
As the gears in his mind turned, Kael's eyes brightened with inspiration. He dropped to the ground, sitting cross-legged in the soft grass, and began sketching the framework of a new Rune spell in his mind. His breathing steadied as he focused his mind on the task.
Drawing upon the three Enhancer Components of the Vitality Rune he had comprehended earlier, Kael visualized the intricate connections he needed to make. Each component was like a cog in a machine, and the entire structure had to work in perfect harmony. With painstaking precision, he added sixteen nodes to the spell's framework, balancing the flow of energy by arranging the lines in both parallel and series formations.
His mind raced as he made adjustment after adjustment, his previous experience giving him confidence. Unlike the grueling trial-and-error process he endured when constructing earlier spells, this one came together more smoothly. The components seemed to click into place, as though his growing understanding of Rune mechanics was guiding him intuitively.
Minutes stretched on as Kael refined the Rune Circle, keeping his focus. Finally the Rune stabilizes, with just a bit more tweaking. By the fifteenth minute, he let out a slow breath, his eyes fixated on the glowing construct in front of him. The Rune Circle hummed softly with power, its intricate design finally stable and complete.
Kael leaned back for a moment, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. "Perfect," he murmured, the thrill of success surging through him.
Satisfied with the results, he placed his palms on either side of the glowing construct and activated it. The entire Rune Circle pulsed with light before vanishing, its energy embedding itself into his body. Kael felt the surge immediately. A faint glow appeared at the back of his neck, and two small, bracelet-like circles shimmered around his wrists.
"Whoa!" Kael exclaimed, flexing his fingers. His body felt lighter, his footing more stable.
"Is this an overall enhancement of my body?" he wondered aloud.
Eager to test his newfound strength, Kael approached the beast's corpse and positioned himself to lift it. With a sharp intake of breath, he heaved—and the enormous body shot into the air like a ragdoll.
"Holy shit!" Kael shouted, his eyes wide as the creature soared in an almost comical arc, landing ten meters away with a heavy thud.
Kael stood frozen, trying to process what had just happened. When the reality of his strength sank in, he bolted after the creature, his speed astonishing even himself. Unfortunately, his trajectory led him directly into the corpse, and his head collided with its groin.
"Ugh!" Kael spat, stumbling backward and coughing out fur. The beast's body flew once more, landing several meters away. His face contorted into the exact expression of someone being told to wash a sink full of dishes they hadn't even used.
"Why am I so unlucky?" he grumbled, slapping the loose fur from his face.
With more caution this time, Kael approached the beast and carefully hoisted it onto his shoulder. "Let's try this again."
---
The river glistened ahead, its crystal-clear waters reflecting the sunlight filtering through the canopy above. The gentle flow created a soothing melody, and the air was fresh with the scent of moss and damp earth. Kael's figure emerged from the dense trees, his lean frame carrying the massive corpse with surprising ease. His steps were careful as he avoided slipping on the riverbank.
Setting the beast down gently, Kael noticed a vine tangled among the nearby underbrush. Cutting it loose, he fashioned it into a makeshift rope and threaded it through the gills of a large fish he had caught earlier. He tied the ends securely before glancing to his left.
A small hill rose a few hundred meters away, its peak offering a flat, shaded area surrounded by sturdy trees. Kael studied it thoughtfully.
"That's perfect for a house," he murmured. The elevation would keep him safe from flooding, and the surrounding trees would provide natural cover and resources. It was close enough to the river for water and fishing but far enough to avoid potential predators lurking in the brush.
With his plan set, Kael heaved the beast's body onto his right shoulder and grabbed the fish with his left hand. The vine swung lightly as he burst into motion, his enhanced speed cutting through the distance effortlessly.
Lost in thought, Kael began to muse aloud. "I wonder if I could build something like in Mindcraft. Maybe some defenses too, like in Clash of Sects—"
Katchaa!
"Ahhhhrrrrggg!!! My pinky toe!" Kael shouted, nearly dropping the beast. He hopped on one foot, clutching his injured toe as pain radiated through his body.
"Why am I so unlucky?!" he howled to the empty forest, shaking his fist at the offending rock before glaring at the lifeless beast on his shoulder. "You're cursed, aren't you?"