"Yata!" Dexter screamed.

After two days focused on the single task, Dexter finally managed to mold his energy into a stream, while keeping the same amount of energy fluctuations. Rather than having the energy uncontrolled, spilling out of his cells like a glass of water, he now compressed it down into channels that directed his aura like a circulatory system.

The change increased his energy efficiency, and enhanced his ability to manipulate his aura. There was also a slight decrease in the time it took to activate his skills when channeling it through his new pathways. But after a few experiments, Dexter stumbled into the same problem that Nyo encountered, and neither Kwame nor Alina managed to bypass the issue.

The pathways required extreme focus; otherwise they'd unravel when he extended the channels to other parts of his body. It was as if he walked a mile in snow, and then ten minutes later the wind would fly past and erase the tracks he had formed. Each milestone ended in a reset that caused him to start mumbling out loud like a madman.

Dexter finally decided to take a break, when he noticed it had gone quiet. He turned to see the burgeoning couple walk in companionable silence, while Alina held Anna in her arms, doing her best not to slow them all down. The state of the group looked exhausted, and he realized that after seven days they had finally reached the end of their limit.

"We'll stop in a few minutes before it gets too dark," Dexter said. "But I want to find a decent spot to make camp first."

"What?!" George yelled. "You said we're off for about half a day's journey. Why stop now?"

"Look around you," Dexter said, pointing at Anna and Alina. "They can barely continue, we don't have any stamina bars left, and if we continue walking into the night we'll lure the wolves to us." He had become increasingly worried about their howls as they pushed further into the forest, and had the strange feeling that they were being tracked. The levels of the wildlife had steadily increased the deeper they went, and it was part of the reason why he refused to slow his pace. But now he'd play it safe, rather than pushing for a Hail Mary.

"But there's still enough light to see, and they'll find us if we sit here." George protested.

"Easy," Kwame said, passing Dexter's self refilling water bottle around the group. "Even I suffer from a lack of energy with the forest all around me."

"At first light," Dexter reassured George, wiping sweat from his brow. After he found a decent location to stop for the night, he summoned Munchkin, and began to chop down the surrounding trees, placing them in a perimeter around their makeshift camp.

From twilight fell a darkness that shrouded the entire forest. Dexter searched for the familiar halo that was the ring that circled the planet, but this far in the trees had blocked out most of the sky.

While the crew rested, Dexter continued to build out his energy channels, listening to the howls of the night terrors prowling in the dark. He had made progress on his entire right arm, taxing his mind to keep the channels intact, when suddenly the howling that sang for so long grew quiet. There was no movement, no scent that pricked his senses, yet a presence grew in the distance, inching ever closer until it forced Dexter to stand.

"Nyo…" he said, "I need light."

On the four corners of their camp, pillars of fire rose into the air, revealing a dozen wolven beasts that stood over six feet tall.

"Night Stalkers!" Nyo identified as the closest one leapt forward, and a gust of azure wind flashed by.

As the hulking beast met a soaring axe, its head landed in Nyo's lap, causing her to scream bloody murder. Her reaction intensified the flames, causing foliage to combust. In a matter of moments, the camp was inundated with flames that spread out of control, driven wild by a dancing Wind Scythe.

The skill siphoned parts of the surrounding fire into its attack as it switched from passive to its active state, leaving smoke trails on the beasts that clashed with Dexter. He intercepted the beasts that leapt after the others, allowing them time to retreat into the forest. But some had managed to make it past him, taking burns that seared their flesh.

Without an opportunity for a surprise attack, his lack of the Ozkaari Axe Mastery left the might of his scythe wanting, leaving a deft blade in its wake. The speed was all well and good, but as the creatures he fought increased in strength, the void in his vortex would become more noticeable.

Irritated, Dexter blasted the night stalkers with wind aura, attempting to push them aside. Yet for all the strength he instilled into the blast, the result was miniscule. The beasts were only pushed back a few centimeters, looming over him with a toothy grin. It was clear that if he didn't go all out from the start, they would all die.

Admonishing himself for giving away his energy bars, Dexter drummed a symphony into his aura. The azure shroud was concealed by a haze of smoke and fire, but as its pressure grew, the creatures took notice, doubling their attacks on him. Unfortunately for them, his affinity with his spear had grown since the arrival of the rifts, and it blurred in his defense, slicing through claws that sought to rip him apart.

As the digits fell, Dexter caught the monsters that fled past him and watched as his glowing scythe slammed through their corded neck muscles.

"Run," he said, "I'll catch up."

Before Alina could respond, he disappeared in a gust of wind, appearing behind a monster as it attacked him. The last thing he saw was Alina's eyes grow wide in shock as she turned and fled.

"Thief!" Dexter heard as his spear burst through the night stalker's neck.

He had copied the flanking maneuver from Alina, and displayed greater speed and precision than she held. He didn't have a movement skill like Quick Step, but his aura resonated with the wind far beyond what she was capable of.

Returning his attention back to the remaining night stalkers, Dexter kicked off the ground, darting through the wolven monsters. His spear bit through tendons, followed by his wind blade, that together tore open scars over corded muscles. Limbs fell to his growing storm, until he finally noticed something dark that the smoke had concealed. It caused him to pause, waving away the smoke with a gust of air when he confirmed that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

On the forest floor, indistinct forms covered in dirt and ash were illuminated by fire. And there was no mistaking it, the bodies were humans. Nude men and women with semi protruding faces that held jaws big enough to crush bone. Upon death, the monsters reverted to their natural form. He had been right all along. They were—

"Ahhh!"

Nyo's scream echoed out behind Dexter, who had assumed the worst. If there wasn't a cure, would he have to put one of them down? The thought brought a sense of guilt as he realized there were other night stalkers hidden in the dark, waiting to catch those that fled. Perhaps if they had huddled together, their chances of survival would have increased. But as Dexter pushed himself to his limit, he knew that wasn't the case. One of the night stalkers met his match, protecting three of the remaining night stalkers from his blades.

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The monster wasn't abnormally large, rather the opposite. It held a compact frame under gray and black fur. The most interesting part about it was its eyes. They sparkled like moonlight over a crystal clear lake. Dexter wasn't sure if it was a skill, but unlike the other monsters, it had an uncanny ability to sense Wind Scythe in its passive state. The ability allowed it to narrowly avoid death, while rejuvenating the damage dealt by his spear.

It was like fighting an aberration all over again, yet this time he didn't have the bladed pillars to back him up. Fortunately, its hide wasn't as strong as an aberration's waxy skin, and he didn't need the pillars to crack open its shell. What he needed, was the opportunity to land a decisive blow before the other night stalkers re-engaged. But the hulking forms looked uninterested, and even went about collecting the limbs he had severed off.

The behavior was unusual for creatures on the hunt, and it renewed Dexter's assessment of them. No longer was he in a fight to the death. The creatures were seeking different kinds of prey. One to bolster their numbers. And the more exhausted he became, the more vulnerable he would be to their machinations.

As the stalemate continued, Dexter looked at the leader and saw intelligence in its moonlit eyes. The beastman had yet to speak, but there was calculation hidden in its gaze, and he knew that if he didn't switch up his combat style, he would fall directly into its trap. As fast as his attacks were, they were easily read, and the longer he fought, the more danger his crew would face. But an idea soon came to mind as the night stalker avoided yet another swipe of his wind blade, pushing aside his spear with the back of its overgrown claws.

Reforming the energy channels he imprinted in his right arm, Dexter pushed an air stream out of his palm. The energy blast was far more potent than before, streamlined with an efficiency thanks to the new ability and Iron Shroud. But it wasn't meant to cause damage, rather distraction. And under the cover of the new attack, Dexter recalled Munchkin back into his robes.

When he stepped forward, bringing his spear to bear, the blade travelled up his sleeve and struck with the attuned weapon. In a flurry, his scythe echoed around the spearhead, carving deep gashes into the night stalker's chest. Its gasp of pain was music to Dexter's ears. And as it tried to back away, his energy channels reversed the air stream, pulling it back into the bladed vortex's embrace.

[ Elite slain: Vräodhir Shade Sight - lvl 18. *Bonus experience awarded! ]

[ Quest updated: Adept Rogue (Bronze) ]

* Fill the Path Token with Vital Energy. Level: 10/10. Elites slain: 1/10

* Reward: +15 Dexterity.

Upon killing the elite, a wave of howls broke the silence of the night. The once stoic beasts transformed with a madness that turned their eyes red. If before they were trying to recruit him, now they were intent on devouring him. But their speed was no match for Dexter's scythe, and the wind blade held them off before they could come within two meters of him.

Ignoring the remaining night stalkers, Dexter bent down over Vräodhir Shade Sight's corpse and picked up the hovering skill stone.

[ Do you wish to learn the Bronze skill Shade Sight? ]

The crystal black stone with swirls of silver crumbled as Dexter accepted.

[ Shade Sight (Bronze): Mark the essence of your prey. Bonus clarity at night. Skill Link: +3 Perception. Proficiency: Basic. ]

As Dexter linked and activated the skill, his vision changed as if he entered a different dimension. The surrounding fires gained contours that radiated with their heat. The marks outlined the aura he felt, giving him the ability to interpret its movements. In essence, it was a form of heat vision based on vital energy. But the main aspect of the skill revealed itself when he focused on the last night stalker, having stopped Munchkin from killing it.

[ Night Stalker - lvl 16 ]

Aura flared around the creature's legs as it pounced, kicking off dirt into the air. Yet before it had even flexed its legs, Dexter saw vital energy flow through channels diverted to its lower half, empowering its muscles.

"So that's the secret," he said, whipping his spear into action.

He attempted the method once, following the concept the aberration used to enhance its endurance. But when he drenched himself in vital energy, sending copious amounts to various parts of his body, the return he gained was negligible. Now he understood what he was missing. The link that he was searching for had finally been connected.

This time, the channels in Dexter's arm reformed over his muscles, singing with the tune of the wind. As they crystallized, the channels flared under his skin, revealing blue lines that traveled up to his palm.

Dexter rotated his wrist, looking over his hand as it balled into a fist. Sending energy into the new channels surged his aura to new heights. Strength underlined the sensation flowing through the limb, and he knew he had just doubled his attack power.

Turning to the last night stalker, Dexter sent another wave of energy through his channels and marveled as they propelled his thrust beyond the range of his spear. The strike blasted a fist sized hole through the monster's chest, causing them both to look on in shock. But the creature could only look on for a second before its eyes glazed over due to its missing heart.

Without missing a beat, Dexter dashed into the forest, no longer having any difficulty seeing with his new night vision. He followed smoldering tracks that lit the way until he discovered a single night stalker. It had died from various burns, along with the distinct marks of Razor Claw. Another night stalker was found after that, and Dexter found himself smiling from ear to ear. The guilt he had developed after sending them off lessened. He may not be able to protect them all the time, but they were growing along with him.

Perhaps he would never see his friends and family again, but after risking his life with them, he had developed a bond that he suspected they all began to share. It was said that humanity would finally come together after facing a common enemy. And although it wasn't aliens, what better enemies were there than demons? But he could only hope the sentiment remained true for most of humanity. No doubt there were strange cultists out there willing to sell their souls. Whether it was greed or selfishness, humans always found some way to mess things up.

Not long after crossing the second night stalker, Dexter caught up to Alina and the others. Unfortunately, all the positivity he had felt was dashed to the side as they stood with weapons drawn, ready to kill one of their own.

"Is he bit?" Dexter said, staring down at the pitiful sight of George. All eyes turned to him, but it was the tears in Alina's eye's that spoke.

"My sister… it took her," then her eyes transformed into molten steel. "He took her!"

The cute smile missing a tooth appeared in Dexter's mind. Anna was a button of innocence with a face that would have an entire country searching for her. Why would he do such a thing?

Disgust writ itself across Dexter's face, and he had the urge to vomit.

"It's not what you think," George cried, "I had to get away—"

A kick from Alina sent him reeling, crying for his wife.

"He took her to lead him to the Safe Zone while we nearly died fighting those things," Nyo said.

"I thought he was protecting her," Kwame said, guilt rising in his voice.

As Alina released her pain and frustration out on George, Dexter questioned if he should stop her. What he had done was unforgivable, and he wouldn't expect Alina to get over it even if he found the little girl safe and sound. But should a single person have the right to bring him to justice? Was justice real, or was it a post-hoc rationalization for retribution?

Ideas meant for philosophers swirled around Dexter's mind. For the first time in his life, he actually held the power to administer said justice, and it swayed with his emotions and desires. And he knew before he spoke up that he would never be consistent on such issues.

"Stop," Dexter said.

Alina let out a torrent of curses in Russian, but Dexter ignored her as he saw energy flood down into her right hand. Perhaps she would have killed George if she used her dagger, but the anger had blinded her, giving Dexter enough time to intercept the attack.

"We can deal with him later, but you can't kill him," Dexter said. "He's suffered enough."

"And who are you to make that call?" Alina yelled.

"No one," Dexter said, tossing George one of his last health bars. "But we should adhere to some sort of rules before we start killing each other."

"Prison?" Nyo asked.

"Maybe," Dexter said. Turning to George, he asked, "Which direction did it go?" After George showed him the direction, he picked up Alina, who kicked and pushed at him but stopped when she realized what he had in mind. Before leaving, he turned and tossed the energy compass to Kwame. "I'll try my best."