As noon arrives, the forest is eerily silent. No birds sing, no insects buzz—it's as if the Hollow Forest has been stripped of all life. The air is heavy, the stillness broken only by the faint rustling of leaves in the cold wind.
Beneath the dense underbrush, a faint rustle can be heard. A limping skeleton emerges, dragging itself forward with what little strength it has left. Its body is broken, half of its bones missing or shattered, and its hollow eyes flicker weakly. It's clear this creature has been through hell and back, crawling its way through the forest in a desperate attempt to escape.
But there is no escape.
RUSTLE
The bushes behind it shift ominously.
CRASH
Before the skeleton can react, something yanks it into the shadows with terrifying speed.
CRUNCH
The sound of bones snapping echoes through the forest, followed by an unnatural silence.
Something far more dangerous lurks in the darkness, watching, waiting.
Ethan feels a chilling sensation ripple through his body as he sits by the river. He looks around, noticing that everyone else seems ready to move out. Ferox is sharpening his shovel, Selene is adjusting her cloak, and the Bone Guard stands watch, its purple eyes scanning the forest.
"...I guess there's no turning back"
Ethan mutters to himself, steeling his resolve.
He opens his status screen and allocates his points: 10 points into Strength, 15 points into Agility, and the rest into Perception.
As soon as he confirms the changes, his world shifts. His bones crack and reform, his muscles grow denser and more defined, balancing raw power with lean, agile fitness. But the most striking change is in his senses. His eyes sharpen, allowing him to see the faint colors of mana swirling in the air. His ears pick up every sound—from the distant rustle of leaves to the faintest drip of water. The world around him feels more vivid, more alive, as if it has opened up to him in ways he never imagined.
For a moment, Ethan is overwhelmed by the newfound clarity. He feels a deep appreciation for the world, a sense of oneness with the environment that he's never experienced before.
"....I guess I'm ready to face whatever's out there," he says, buckling his katana to his side.
Ethan looks back, only to find everyone staring at him.
"What?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.
"....What just happened?"
Selene asks, her violet eyes wide with disbelief. The changes to Ethan's body are impossible to ignore—his muscles more defined, his movements sharper, and his presence radiating a newfound intensity.
"...."
Ferox doesn't say much, but his expression betrays his surprise.
CLICK CLICK
The Bone Guard simply nods, as if it expected nothing less.
"Alright, alright, no need to fret,"
waving off their concerns.
"I'll explain it when we get out of this forest. For now, let's move."
He points to the left, and the group falls into position. Selene climbs into her coffin, which Ferox hoists onto his back with ease. Together, Ethan, Ferox, and the Bone Guard leap across the swamp, their movements swift and precise as they head toward the encroaching darkness.
"Remember, stay close,"
He warns
"If you find yourself stranded, make your way north of the forest. That's the direction of the Ring of Flames."
Ferox nods, his grip tightening on his shovel.
As they run, the landscape grows increasingly unsettling. The dead trees loom overhead, their twisted branches clawing at the sky. The ground beneath their feet feels... crunchy. Ethan glances down and realizes in horror that the crunching sound comes from the shattered remains of undead creatures.
"Most of them are the undead,"
Ethan mutters, his voice low.
"They've been killed....Devoured"
Before he can process the implications, a deafening roar echoes through the forest. Ethan's instincts scream at him to move.
"FUCK ME!"
he shouts, diving to the side just as a massive tree trunk hurtles past him, narrowly missing his head.
He scrambles to his feet, his enhanced senses on high alert. His eyes scan the shadows, his ears straining to pick up any sound. Whatever threw that tree is close—and it's not happy.
"Run!"
The group sprints forward, their footsteps pounding against the forest floor. Ethan's mind races as he tries to use his heightened senses to make out what's following them. His eyes scan the shadows, his ears picking up every rustle and snap.
Then he feels it—a shift in the air, a presence so dark and unnatural it sends a chill down his spine. His gaze locks onto something emerging from the muck: a tangled mess of metal and steel, its form grotesque and twisted. Its mouth is a gaping hole lined with jagged, enamel-like teeth, and its eyes... its eyes are hollow. There's no life, no mana—just emptiness.
"...What the f*ck is that?" Ethan mutters, his voice barely above a whisper.
But there's no time to dwell on it. The creature lunges forward, its metallic limbs screeching as they scrape against the ground. Ethan grits his teeth.
"To hell and back it is,"
he growls.
"LIGHTNING LIBERTY!"
His speed increases
Faster
Faster
Faster
He moves in a wide arc toward the creature, his body glowing with energy. He can feel Selene's mana coursing through him, amplifying his strength and agility. His movements become lighter, more fluid, as the colors around him shift
green
blue
red
and finally
purple
SLASH
His katana lashes out, cutting through the air with such force that it creates a micro blast. The blade strikes the creature, sending sparks flying as metal grinds against metal.
AOHHHHHHHHHHH!
The creature screams, its voice a distorted, unnatural wail that sends shivers down their spines. It tries to grapple Ethan with its metallic fingers, but he dodges and weaves, his movements a blur.
BANG
Ferox slams his foot into the ground, causing a wall of fire to erupt and cover Ethan's escape. The flames roar to life, creating a barrier between them and the creature.
Ethan sprints back to the group, his breath coming in short gasps. He looks over his shoulder just in time to see the creature standing on its hands, its body twisting and contorting as if its metallic form is made of flexible wires. It rolls forward, its movements unnatural and horrifying.
"FUCK THIS SHIT, I'M OUT!"
Without another word, the group takes off, sprinting as fast as they can. The creature's screeches echo behind them, but they don't look back. Whatever that thing is, it's not something they're ready to face—not yet.