The morning sun broke through the tangled canopy, its soft light doing little to ease the tension in James's chest. He crouched low behind a thicket of brambles, listening for any sign of pursuit. The forest was alive with sound—the chirping of birds, the distant trickle of a stream—but his ears strained for anything that didn't belong. A snapped twig, the murmur of voices, the whinny of a horse. So far, nothing.
He had been on the move since before dawn, skirting the edges of game trails and avoiding open spaces. Every step felt heavier than the last, his muscles aching from the relentless pace and lingering injuries. The fight with the creature from the previous night still haunted him. Its glowing yellow eyes and unnatural speed were seared into his memory. Whatever that thing had been, it wasn't something he could afford to encounter again.
James shifted his focus to his next move. He was still deep in the elven territory, with no clear sense of where the border lay. Aria and her patrol would undoubtedly be searching for him, and while his earlier diversion had bought him some time, it wouldn't last. He needed to put more distance between himself and his pursuers, and fast.
He opened his inventory, retrieving a small loaf of stale bread he had swiped during his escape. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. As he chewed, his eyes drifted to the Heart of Eldarath, its faint glow a constant reminder of the power it held. The artifact had been invaluable so far, but he had barely scratched the surface of its potential. If he could find a safe place to rest, maybe he could experiment with it more.
A sudden rustle to his left snapped him out of his thoughts. James froze, his hand instinctively summoning his scythe. The sound grew louder, closer. He pressed himself against the ground, his heart hammering in his chest. The bushes parted, and a pair of deer stepped into view, their heads bobbing as they grazed on the underbrush.
James let out a shaky breath, a mix of relief and frustration washing over him. He couldn't keep living like this, jumping at every shadow. He needed a plan—a real plan, not just running and hiding. But first, he had to get out of this forest.
The day wore on, and the forest seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction. James followed the stream he'd heard earlier, hoping it would lead him to a larger river or a settlement. The terrain grew rockier as he went, the trees thinning to reveal jagged cliffs and narrow ravines. It was risky terrain, but it also offered opportunities for concealment. If the elves were tracking him, they'd have a harder time navigating this kind of landscape.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, James spotted an overhang jutting out from a sheer cliff face. It wasn't much, but it would provide some shelter and a vantage point to keep an eye on the area below. He climbed the slope carefully, his boots slipping on loose gravel. When he reached the overhang, he collapsed onto the cool stone, exhaustion washing over him.
Night fell quickly, and with it came the chill of the mountain air. James huddled under the overhang, his scythe resting within arm's reach. He had gathered a small pile of firewood earlier, but he hesitated to light it. The smoke could give away his position, and he couldn't risk that. Instead, he wrapped himself in his cloak, trying to conserve what little warmth he could.
Sleep was elusive. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the glowing eyes of the creature from the night before or the cold, calculating gaze of Aria. He felt trapped, even out here in the wilderness. The elves' reach seemed endless, and the unknown dangers of this world only added to his unease.
A faint sound reached his ears—the distant howl of a wolf. James tensed, his hand moving to the scythe. The howl was followed by another, closer this time. His mind raced. Wolves wouldn't normally attack a human unless they were desperate or provoked, but in this world, who knew what kind of predators lurked in the dark?
The howls grew louder, joined by the rustling of bushes and the snap of twigs. James's grip on the scythe tightened as he scanned the darkness. A pair of glowing eyes appeared at the edge of the clearing, followed by another, and another. The wolves stepped into the faint moonlight, their forms larger and more menacing than any he had seen on Earth. Their fur shimmered with an otherworldly sheen, and their teeth gleamed like polished steel. Instinctively, James activated his analyze ability, his vision sharpening as text overlays appeared next to each wolf, revealing their names and stats:
[Analyzing…]
Name: Moonfang Alpha
Status: Summon
Level: 12
Health: 120/120
Dexterity: 30
Special Ability: [Lunar Howl: You call down a blast of energy from the sky and alert all near elves of your location, costs 30 Mana per use, (Level 6) (Rare+) (Lunar affinity)]
Name: Lunar Stalker
Status: Summon
Level: 9
Health: 90/90
Strength: 21
Name: Lunar Stalker
Status: Summon
Level: 8
Health: 80/80
Stamina: 28
His heart sank at the disparity in levels but steadied with the faint hope of strategizing against them.
"Great," James muttered, rising to his feet. "Just what I needed."
The lead wolf growled, its muscles tensing as it prepared to pounce. James didn't wait. He swung the scythe in a wide arc, channeling his magic into the blade. Shadowy tendrils erupted from the weapon, lashing out at the wolves. The lead wolf yelped as the tendrils wrapped around its legs, pulling it off balance.
[-4 Mana][-4 Mana][-4 Mana][-4 Mana]...
The other wolves hesitated, circling him cautiously. James took the opportunity to press his advantage, stepping forward and slicing at the nearest wolf. The blade bit deep, and the creature dissolved into a cloud of black mist, much like the creature from the night before.
"Not so tough now, are you?" James said through gritted teeth.
The remaining wolves snarled, and one howled, and the mana around them fluctuated and a pillar of silver energy shot down from the sky, James flung himself out of the way desperately. The two remaining wolves snarled, their eyes glowing brighter. James could feel their anger and their hunger. They lunged at him simultaneously, forcing him to backpedal. He swung the scythe in precise arcs, doing his best to keep them at bay. One wolf managed to slip past his guard, its teeth sinking into his arm. James cried out, the pain sharp and immediate. He lashed out with his free hand, summoning a burst of shadow magic that sent the wolf sprawling.
Blood dripped from his arm as he faced the remaining wolves. His vision blurred, and his limbs felt heavy. He couldn't keep this up much longer. Desperation fueled his next move. He channeled every ounce of magic he could into the scythe, the blade glowing with a dark, pulsating energy. With a final swing, he unleashed the stored power in a sweeping wave.
[-100 Mana]
[Mana: 88/200
[You have pushed the bounds of the ability: Death's embrace]
[Death's embrace has leveled up]
[Death's Embrace: Unleash a wave of necrotic energy that damages and pushes enemies in a wide radius, you can concentrate this effect for more power. Costs 10→1 mana per use, (Level 2→10) (Unique) (Active) (Necromantic Affinity)]
[You can upgrade Death's embrace, please choose one option]
[Option 1: Necrotic Beam: Transform Death's Embrace into a concentrated beam of necrotic energy that channels through enemies in a straight line. Costs 2 Mana per second, (Level 1) (Unique) (Channel) (Necromantic Affinity). You may use [SMP] to further upgrade this ability: Focused Destruction: Deals 50% more damage to a single target and passes through enemies, (Cost: 15 [SMP]), Piercing Shadows: The beam now pierces through armor, ignoring 15% of an enemy's defense, (Cost: 25 [SMP])]
[Option 2: Eternal Wave: The wave of necrotic energy becomes slower but more powerful, with increased damage and a wider radius. Costs 10 Mana per use, (Level 1) (Unique) (Active) (Necromantic Affinity). You may use [SMP] to further upgrade this ability: Eternal Suffering: Enemies hit by the wave are affected by a Necrosis effect, which causes continuous damage over time, (Cost: 20 [SMP]), Unyielding Force: Enemies pushed back by the wave are stunned for 1 second, making it more effective as crowd control, (Cost: 30 [SMP]), Spectral Wave: The wave can pass throu]
[Option 3: Soul Devourer: The wave/surge of energy now siphons life from enemies, healing the user for a portion of the damage dealt. Costs 15 Mana per use, healing scaling with damage. (Level 1) (Unique) (Active) (Vampiric affinity)]
"No time to think carefully!" James muttered "[Option 1]!"
[You have chosen Option 1: Necrotic Beam: Transform Death's Embrace into a concentrated beam of necrotic energy that channels through enemies in a straight line. Costs 2 Mana per second, (Level 1) (Unique) (Channel) (Necromantic Affinity). You may use [SMP] to further upgrade this ability: Focused Destruction: Deals 50% more damage to a single target and passes through enemies, (Cost: 15 [SMP]), Piercing Shadows: The beam now pierces through armor, ignoring 15% of an enemy's defense, (Cost: 25 [SMP])]
James thrust his hand out, index finger pointed at the wolves and yelled "[NECROTIC BEAM]"
[-2 Mana][-2 Mana][-2 Mana][-2 Mana]...
A tiny ball, only about half a centimeter in diameter, of sickly colored green Mana formed in front of his index finger and began pulsing ominously before letting out a thin beam at the wolves
The wolves didn't stand a chance. The beam of necrotic magic tore through them, reducing their forms to mist that dissipated into the night. James collapsed to his knees, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. His arm throbbed where the wolf had bitten him, and he could feel the sticky warmth of blood soaking his sleeve.
"I need to get out of here," he muttered, forcing himself to his feet. The forest was too dangerous, especially at night. He had to find shelter, somewhere more secure than a rocky overhang.
With one last glance at the clearing, James turned and began making his way down the mountain. The wolves had been scouts, and now the elves were on his tail again.