James' pulse was hammering in his ears, his senses on high alert. His new Essence Sight, while useful, was unpredictable. He couldn't clearly see what was attacking him, and the blurred, ever-shifting threads of Essence made it nearly impossible to determine the exact form or movement of his foe. All he had was the sensation—that surge of malicious energy swooping towards him, the heavy dread that clung to the air as the dark creature lurked beyond his sight. He tried to focus, to see more clearly, but the Essence twisted, slipped away, and refused to give him what he needed.
The first strike had come out of nowhere, and James still reeled from it. The creature's claws had raked across his left shoulder, slicing deep into his flesh, severing muscle down to the bone. His left arm hung uselessly at his side, hot pain radiating from the wound. But James couldn’t afford to focus on the pain. He had to keep moving, keep fighting—or he’d die here, in this dark cavern where no one would ever find him.
He stumbled backward, breathing heavily as he yelled out in frustration, his voice echoing off the cavern walls, "COME AT ME!" The shout was half challenge, half desperate plea. He had to draw it out, had to keep it engaged. He was bleeding, the warm flow seeping through his torn clothes, dripping onto the cold stone floor, leaving a clear trail of his diminishing life force. He couldn't let himself grow faint. Not now. The creature was out there, waiting, circling—its presence a constant pressure on his mind.
The mass of Essence shifted, the chaotic blur finally consolidating into something tangible—a flicker of movement. James hoisted his trident, positioning the weapon with his one good arm. His muscles screamed in protest, his grip shaky, but there was no choice. He felt something welling up inside of him, a prompting—something that urged him to act. {Battle Strategy}. He felt it there, hovering in his mind, waiting to be used.
He let mana flow into it, subconsciously guiding his intent. It almost felt like his consciousness split—one part of his mind hyper-focused on the trident and his stance, while another piece drifted to a broader perspective, tracing possible movements, calculating options. He positioned himself against the cavern wall, limiting the directions from which the creature could attack. The shadows seemed to flicker, the tension building with every second that passed in silence.
His body ached as he waited, the adrenaline starting to fade, replaced by a gnawing exhaustion. He could hear the faint dripping of water somewhere in the cavern, the only sound that broke the oppressive silence. Each drop seemed to echo endlessly, a ticking reminder of his limited time. Every muscle in his body was tense, his senses stretched to their absolute limit, trying to catch even the slightest hint of movement.
Then, without warning, it attacked. The creature swooped in from a lower angle this time, something James hadn't expected. His eyes barely caught the movement—an indistinct blur—before it was already upon him. He swung the trident down in an arc, feeling the weapon smash into the creature’s side with a heavy thud, knocking it off its course and sending it hurtling toward the ground. The impact jarred his arm, sending a fresh wave of pain shooting through his body. He gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his focus as the creature recovered far quicker than he had anticipated. The moment it landed, it sprang back, launching itself out of his range of perception once more.
James clenched his jaw, his chest rising and falling rapidly as exhaustion bore down on him. He was running out of options, running out of time. He couldn't keep this up, not with his left arm useless, not with blood still flowing from his shoulder. The cavern felt smaller, the walls pressing in. His breathing became ragged, and for a fleeting moment, panic threatened to take over. It was like fighting a nightmare—his opponent was elusive, a shadow, impossible to pin down.
"Focus, focus," he whispered to himself, his eyes darting around, searching for a sign—anything that could give him an edge his head pounding with the exertion of the new skill. He needed a plan, something to give him a fighting chance. But his mind felt foggy, the pain and blood loss sapping his ability to think clearly. He tried to regulate his breathing attempting to bring some semblance of calm to his racing thoughts.
He checked his status, feeling the numbers flash before his eyes as he struggled to keep his vision steady.
| HP: | 135/430 |
| MP: | 88/405 |
| Stamina: | 278/430 |
His health was depleting, his mana almost entirely drained, and his stamina was waning. He wasn't going to win this if he kept it up as a battle of endurance. He had to end it—now.
The plan formed in his mind, one final gambit. He would lure it closer to the water. Maybe, just maybe, he could use the environment to his advantage. He turned and began to rush toward the lake, his feet pounding against the stone as the sharp pain in his shoulder protested with every movement. He could feel his head growing light, the blood loss catching up to him, but he pushed through it, the adrenaline keeping him upright.
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He could hear the creature behind him, a faint rustling of wings, a low hiss that sent chills down his spine. It was following him, stalking him, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. James knew he had to make this count. The lake came into view, its surface shimmering that blue-green. He forced himself to keep moving, his eyes fixed on the water, his heartbeat thundering in his ears.
Just as he reached the water's edge, he saw it—a flicker in his peripheral vision, a sudden surge of darkness. The creature was coming for him again. James pivoted, his body moving before his mind had time to catch up. Mana flowed, pushing into {Battle Strategy} until he could feel the skill taking hold. It guided him, his muscles moving in response to something beyond just his own instincts. He threw his trident—a reckless, desperate throw, aimed directly at the fleeting essence he'd glimpsed for just a heartbeat. Falling to the ground in agony over the inflamed shoulder James watched as the trident left his hand, spiraling through the air. Time seemed to slow as he watched it, his heart in his throat. As soon as the trident left his hand, James felt a moment of utter dread. He had just thrown away his only weapon, his only line of defence against this relentless foe. For a split second, he tried to abort the motion, to pull back, but it was too late. The trident was gone, leaving his hand and soaring through the air. He watched as it spun, He could tell that the trajectory was off, it sent his heart pounding and a sinking sensation in his stomach as he realized the full weight of his mistake.
Then, something incredible happened. The trident veered back on course, correcting itself mid-flight. The guiding force within it—something deep and supernatural—kicked in, adjusting the throw to its intended target. James barely had time to register what was happening before he heard it—a solid thunk, followed by a high-pitched screech that echoed through the cavern, reverberating off the walls.
The creature crumpled, its form collapsing in on itself as the trident impaled it. For a moment, everything was still, the only sound the echo of the creature's dying scream fading into the distance. James let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. His body felt heavy, like a marionette with its strings cut. He stumbled forward, his legs giving out beneath him. His vision swam, the edges darkening with each passing second. He could see the glowing threads of Essence fading in and out as his sight wavered. The cavern was tilting, his perception a jumble of light and darkness.
A prompt blinked before his eyes, the text almost surreal in the chaos of the moment:
{Level Six Dark Hauntling Defeated - Kill}
{104 EXP Awarded}
{Congratulations! From your efforts, you are rewarded}
{Signet Ring of Shielding (Ashen)}
James let out a breathless laugh, the corners of his vision narrowing further. He had done it. Somehow, he had managed to defeat the creature. But the cost had been high. His entire body felt as though it was on fire, every muscle screaming in agony, his left arm limp and useless. He tried to get back to his feet, his legs barely willing to cooperate but was able to haul himself back up. The adrenaline that had kept him moving was fading fast, leaving only pain and exhaustion in its wake.
The cavern was tilting, his perception a jumble of light and darkness. His head pounded, and he knew he couldn't stay upright much longer. His mind was slipping away, his consciousness fading with each heartbeat. He had done it—he had defeated the creature—but at what cost? His body was failing, his mana drained, his arm useless. He needed to rest, needed to recover, but there was no time, no energy left to even think beyond the next step.
His eyes flickered over the lake's surface. He could see the glowing threads of Essence fading in and out as his sight wavered. The water was calm, an odd contrast to the turmoil within him. It looked almost peaceful, the soft blue-green essence shimmering beneath the surface, the way it flowed almost inviting. The thought of just letting go, of collapsing into the cool water, seemed more and more appealing. He was so tired. Every inch of his body ached, his shoulder a throbbing mess of pain. He could feel the blood still flowing, slower now, but still draining his strength.
As he reached the lake's edge, his knees buckled completely, and he fell, the cool sensation of the ground meeting his skin barely registering through the haze of exhaustion. He forced himself to look at his status one more time, fighting through the pain and dizziness that clouded his vision. seeing the level up prompt with the last of his energy, he allocated his free stat points, every last one going into endurance—hoping that it would be enough to save him, to help his body recover from the brink.
The world around him grew dark, the threads of Essence fading into the void. He felt the cold water soak into his clothes as he collapsed next to the lake, his breath coming in shallow gasps. His eyes fluttered shut, his last conscious thought a fleeting hope that he might wake up again, that he might still have a chance to escape this place and save Joey in the process.
His body hit the ground with a dull thud, his face turned towards the water's edge. He could barely feel his fingers digging into the dirt, barely hear the sound of the cavern echoing around him. There was only darkness, creeping in at the edges, swallowing everything. He could feel the last remnants of adrenaline fading, the exhaustion taking its place, a heavy blanket that settled over his body, dragging him down.
And then, there was nothing. Darkness swallowed him whole, and James' world went quiet once more.