Kurogami stirred after he woke up, each breath a sharp reminder of the violence he had escaped. The soft ground beneath him felt foreign, contrasting the damp earth where he had fought for his life. Shadows skittered at the edges of his vision, teasing with whispers of danger.
"That thing… I can't be here," he gasped, tasting iron on his tongue. Panic surged.
He struggled to sit, a wave of dizziness crashing over him. The remnants of the bear's growls echoed in his ears, merging with a new, unsettling rhythm.
A specter of movement caught his attention. Kurogami snapped his head towards the noise, breath hitching in his throat, muscles tightening like a coiled spring. He scanned the shadowy outlines around him, heart hammering a frantic tattoo. Each creak of branches sounded sinister, each rustle of leaves promised peril.
"What did it mean?" he murmured, thinking of the voice that called him warrior. "What debt? "
His thoughts raced. Blood trickled, warm and viscous, painting his skin. He forced himself upright, ignoring the throb of pain radiating through his body.
"⏤the shadows be your blade."
He winced at the memory, the ghostly melody still tremoring through the air. Kurogami turned, his instincts screaming for him to flee. He stumbled into the dense underbrush, twigs cracking beneath him as he darted deeper into the tangled forest.
In a heartbeat, the shadows lurked behind him, monstrous and omnipresent. With every glance over his shoulder, he felt that heavy gaze trailing him. The foliage rustled. His feet pounded against the forest floor, desperation fueling his frenzied flight.
If I can find shelter…
The roar of water surged ahead. Kurogami pushed past clusters of wildflowers and dense brambles, his breath labored, the scent of earth filling his lungs.
"Please let there be a safety," he gasped, wild hope mingling with dread.
Rounding a thicket, he stumbled to a halt. Water tumbled over rocks, cascading into a crystal pool.
An opportunity.
Kurogami darted toward the sound, skirting the edge of the waterfall. A cave yawned behind the shimmering veil of water, dark and inviting. Shadows lingered but offered a comforting embrace to a hunted soul. He slipped through the curtain of falling water, the spray chilling his wounds.
"Safe," he whispered, leaning against the cold stone wall.
He surveyed the dimness, heart still racing. Moonlight pooled in the cave, illuminating strange carvings etched into the rock. Shapes of animals, spirals, and faces adorned the walls, ancient marks that seemed to murmur secrets. His gaze slid down to a small pool at the cave's heart, its surface smooth like glass.
"Thirsty," he choked, stepping closer.
He fell to his knees, cupping the water with trembling hands. It drank the light, shimmering a surreal blue. Ever so slowly, he stooped to sip, the coolness cascading over his tongue like a gentle breeze.
"What even is this?" he wondered, sheer exhaustion blended with curiosity.
The liquid sparked a pulse within him. It coursed through his veins, igniting sensations he had never known. His wounds began to glow, a celestial blue light enveloping him, warmth flooding through the torn flesh.
A status window popped up infront lf him.
[You have succesfully absorbed the tears of Alruna, the forgotten goddess of this forest.]
"A goddess? Tears?" His mind raced.
"Holy…" Kurogami gasped, staring at the glowing skin.
All the while, the voice murmured through his consciousness:
"Rise, warrior, and tap into the forest's strength."
"What's happening?!" he exclaimed, the echo bouncing against the cave walls.
Knowledge crashed into him—floods of insight that pressed his mind like a vice. He saw the intertwining roots beneath the soil, felt the pulse of life in every heartbeat of the trees. Crickets sang songs of hidden dangers; the wind whispered warnings of predators prowling the night.
It was overwhelming.
He clutched his head, vision blurring, the new sensations fraying his thoughts.
A mocking laughter slipped through him. "You think you can understand?"
"Shut up!" He gasped, fighting against the onslaught.
Images spiraled around him, animals with eyes that glowed like stars, beasts crafted of shadows that danced and erupted in wild patterns.
Alruna…
Kurogami's heart pounded as fragments of ancient tales surfaced. He remembered whispers about a forgotten goddess of the forest, a protector of nature and its creatures.
"Is this your temple?" he murmured, glancing at the carvings.
The whispers deepened, resonating through his core. Knowledge wrapped itself around him, grounding in relief yet binding with burden. He suddenly knew how to survive in the wilds, how to make a fire, which berries are poisenous and which arent.
A soft, teasing voice broke through the chaos.
"Sure, wanderer. You ask questions, yet you know so little."
He shot up, fists clenched. "What do you want from me?"
"Just to guide you." Silkiness laced through her words. "To shape you into what you need to become."
"Why me?" Kurogami's breath quickened, eyes wide. "I—I barely survived a bear attack!"
"More than that, brave Kurogami," she returned, her voice a faint echo of the forest's heartbeat. "You've been chosen. For what? Well, that's for you to uncover."
"There must be a mistake! I don't want any part of this." He clenched his hands tighter.
"Control your destiny. The forest is rife with danger. Unleash its power or be consumed by it."
The fire of determination ignited within him. "Fine! Teach me what I need!"
As if in response, a tremor shook the cave. The stone walls shimmered, vines wrapping around the edges. Kurogami steadied himself, bewildered.
"Knowledge comes at a cost," the voice purred, teasing him. "The answers you seek won't come easily."
Kurogami's mind raced. "Alright! Then what's step one?"
"Conquer your fears."
He drew a breath, grounding himself against the chaos swirling inside. "Easier said than done."
"What fears come to you now?" the voice invited.
"Facing that bear again," he admitted, biting down on his pride.
"Then, test yourself." The walls sparkled brighter, illuminating old symbols. "The way forward is through trial."
He fell quiet, feeling the weight of her challenge settle in his bones. "What if I fail?"
"Only if you succeed will your journey truly begin."
Kurogami laughed, the sound breaking through a swell of fear. "Great, no pressure."
He glanced at the enchanted pool, still glittering like a treasure among tangled roots and rock. He wanted to dive deep into its knowledge, confront the shadows, and extract whatever wisdom those forgotten tales held.
"Show me." He stepped closer, determination blazing in his chest.
As he knelt by the water, the surface rippled in response to his words. The blue glow intensified around his wounds, packing them full of strange energy.
"Very well. Let's begin."
The water shimmered, light pulsing through like a heartbeat. The cave around him shifted, shadows adapting and morphing into shapes that danced along the walls.
Kurogami's muscles tightened. "What now?"
"Breathe."
The command resonated through him, wrapping like vines around his spirit. Inhaling deeply, he drew in the intense scents of moss and earth, life surging in tandem with his heartbeat.
"Trust your instincts."
"Right." He opened his eyes wide, focusing on the pool, determined to see beyond its surface.
Images surged afresh—a line of creatures moving stealthily through the underbrush, the raw power of trees bending with the wind. Filaments of connection pulsated around him, roots from the ground connecting him to every living thing in the forest.
But more than that, a voice whispered—one filled with understanding, beckoning him forward.
"Now, initiate."
"Okay." He sat taller, allowing his energy to swell. "Let's dance with shadows."
Laughter echoed from the cave walls, a promise of adventure and danger threading through the air. Kurogami felt the pull, the all-consuming call of the wild that enveloped him, igniting a fire deep within.
He rose, palms outstretched, ready to face whatever trials awaited. In that hidden sanctuary, under the watchful gaze of Alruna, he would forge a path into the unknown.