Kain moved through the Ruined Wastes, his boots crunching against the brittle earth. The pain in his shoulder flared with every step, but he forced himself onward. He couldn't stop. The jagged landscape stretched endlessly around him, the ground littered with twisted metal and skeletal remains of creatures long forgotten. Above, the storm churned in chaotic shades of purple and black, the occasional crack of Etherial lightning splitting the sky.
The system's translucent interface hovered faintly in his vision, pulsing with reminders.
[Primary Objective: Locate Shelter.]
[Warning: Host Vital Signs Deteriorating.]
Kain scowled. "Thanks for the update," he muttered under his breath, voice raspy. His bandaged shoulder throbbed with every movement, and he could feel the sluggishness creeping into his body. The system's influence was keeping him upright, but it wasn't enough to dull the desperation clawing at the edges of his mind.
Through the haze of exhaustion, he spotted a jagged outcrop of rock ahead. As he drew closer, he noticed the dark mouth of a cave set into its base, half-hidden by swirling mist. A faint, unnatural glow spilled out, casting flickering shadows against the surrounding rocks.
Kain paused, his instincts warning him of danger. Nothing in the Wastes was ever safe—shelter often came with strings attached, whether it was a trap or a lair for something far worse. But he didn't have a choice. His body was at its limit, and if he didn't rest soon, he wouldn't last long enough to worry about the risks.
Steeling himself, he stepped into the cave.
The air inside was cold and damp, carrying a faint metallic tang that made Kain's skin prickle. The ground sloped downward, the bioluminescent moss clinging to the walls casting a faint, eerie glow. His grip on the salvaged blade tightened as he scanned the shadows. Every muscle in his body was coiled, ready for an ambush.
The system chimed in his mind.
[Analyzing Environment…]
[Minimal Threats Detected. Etherial Signature Identified Nearby.]
The announcement offered little comfort. Kain's eyes narrowed as he ventured deeper, his footsteps echoing softly in the cavern. Ahead, the glow intensified, pooling around an object embedded in the stone floor. As he approached, he could make out the sharp, crystalline edges of a shard pulsing with Etherial energy.
He stopped a few paces away, his instincts screaming at him to keep his distance. The shard was unlike anything he'd seen before, its light almost hypnotic as it throbbed in a steady rhythm, like a heartbeat. The system's interface flickered again.
[Etherial Node Detected: Potential for Host Adaptation.]
Before Kain could react, a low, guttural growl rumbled through the cave. He spun, blade raised, as a shadow detached itself from the far wall. A massive, wolf-like beast padded into the light, its fur shimmering with Etherial veins that pulsed in sync with the shard. Its eyes glowed a sickly green, locking onto Kain with predatory intent.
Kain's breath caught in his throat. His grip tightened on the blade, his mind racing. He was in no condition to fight, but running wasn't an option either. The beast snarled, its lips peeling back to reveal jagged, blackened teeth.
The system's voice echoed in his head.
[Lethal Threat Detected. Initiating Etherial Combat Protocol.]
Kain felt the surge of energy before he could comprehend what was happening. It tore through his body like a wildfire, setting his veins alight. His vision sharpened, and time seemed to slow as the beast lunged.
He sidestepped the attack, his movements unnaturally fluid. The blade in his hand felt lighter as he swung, slicing into the creature's side. Etherial sparks erupted from the wound, and the beast howled in pain, its momentum carrying it into the cavern wall.
Kain didn't hesitate. He pressed the advantage, driving his blade into the beast's flank again. The energy coursing through him dulled the pain in his shoulder, replacing it with a feral determination. The beast twisted, claws raking across Kain's chest, but the Etherial power numbed the pain.
With a final, desperate strike, Kain plunged the blade into the creature's throat. It let out a strangled roar before collapsing in a heap, its glowing eyes dimming as the light drained from its body.
Kain staggered back, his chest heaving. The blade slipped from his grasp, clattering to the ground. The beast's body began to disintegrate, turning to wisps of Etherial mist that coiled around the shard in the center of the cave.
[Combat Protocol Complete. Threat Neutralized.]
Kain ignored the system's voice, his eyes fixed on the shard as it absorbed the mist. Slowly, it began to shift, its glow intensifying. A surge of warmth brushed against his skin, and he felt a strange pull, as if the shard was calling to him.
[Etherial Node Activated: Adaptation Threshold Increased. Progress toward Evolution Node Detected.]
Kain's lips twisted into a grim smile. He didn't know what the shard's activation meant, but if it brought him closer to regaining his strength—and his arm—it was a step he was willing to take.
"Guess I don't have a choice," he muttered, reaching for the shard.
The moment his fingers brushed its surface, a searing light engulfed the cave, and the system's voice roared in his mind.