Chapter 6: Onwards_Echoed Lands

Colm ventured forward, his Phantom Warrior—whom he still called Carver—by his side. He couldn’t quite bring himself to let go of the name; it had grown on him as much as the silent companionship. Moving with careful intent, Colm advanced deeper into the Grove’s uncharted areas, where the trees thickened and vibrant foliage cast shifting patterns of light and shadow. Every sound seemed amplified in the stillness, and he kept his movements steady and quiet, relying on Carver to scout ahead. The warrior’s spectral form glided through the vegetation like a shadow, alert for any sign of danger.

After hours of trekking through the same unbroken silence, Colm noticed subtle changes. A low rustling sounded nearby, and now and then, he thought he caught faint growls from somewhere deeper in the woods. He froze, his pulse quickening. "Looks like there’s life here, after all, Carver," he muttered, keeping his voice low.

The memory of undead creatures lurking in the shadows flickered through his mind, bringing a wave of tension with it. He forced himself to shake it off. This wasn’t the twisted, decaying forest of the overworld. He was in the Grove, and for once, he sensed actual life nearby. He was itching for a fight to test his growing skills and abilities, but he wanted it on his own terms—against something living, something that wasn’t out of his depth.

Colm adjusted his stance, moving with extra caution. He hugged the shadows, evading sticks and dry leaves. Just as he felt at ease with this fresh approach, a notification flashed in his vision, catching him off guard.

[ Skill Acquired ]

Stealth (Level 1) - Basic awareness of your surroundings allows you to blend into shadows and reduce your presence.

As if in response, he felt an almost immediate shift, as if the shadows themselves had grown more welcoming. His footsteps felt lighter, each movement ‌quieter as he adjusted his steps to avoid loose debris. A grin crept across his face. "Progress, Carver," he whispered. "We’re getting stronger."

The silence around him felt transformed—no longer oppressive, but an ally in his cautious advance. He let his newly gained skill guide his steps.‌ He detected a faint rustling ahead, leading him to a narrow path veering to the left. Trusting his instincts, he followed, keeping his movements quiet and controlled.

After a few minutes, he caught sight of something in the distance. In a small clearing, a group of beetle-like creatures, each the size of a small dog, clustered together. He dropped into a crouch, observing them from behind a dense thicket. These creatures were unlike anything he’d encountered before—both beautiful and ‌menacing. Their glistening, petal-like shells shimmered with delicate floral patterns, and each beetle moved with a slow, methodical intensity as it probed the ground with its mandibles.

Colm took a slow breath, gripping his spear‌, and activated Analyze to gather more information.

Blossom Beetle (Level 4)

Blossom Beetle (Level 2)

Colm held his breath as he reviewed the results. Three beetles total—two lower-level ones and a stronger leader at Level 4. His grip on the spear tightened as he sized them up. "Finally, a challenge," he muttered. But he knew better than to rush in. First, he wanted to see if they were aggressive but before that he scanned the clearing, his eyes darting to nearby plants, rocks, and shadows, ensuring there were no hidden threats.

"Looks like we’re dealing with a group, Carver," he murmured. "But if we’re careful, I think we can take them. Let’s see if they’re aggressive first.”

He took one final breath to steady himself and formulated a plan. All right, let’s keep this quick and clean. “Carver, we’ll start with the big one. Get in position. I’ll draw them out—if they attack, take them down. Quick and quiet.”

Colm crouched low behind a cluster of shrubs, directing Carver to circle around the clearing. The Phantom Warrior moved with an eerie smoothness, its spectral form blending almost seamlessly with the Grove’s faint glow as it approached the largest beetle. Carver stopped just short, hovering a few steps away from the massive creature, poised to strike.

Colm stepped forward deliberately, the soft crunch of his boots breaking the quiet. “Hey!” he called, testing the waters.

The reaction was immediate. A screech split the air as one of the smaller level 2 beetles lunged toward him, its body skittering forward with surprising speed.

Carver sprang into motion without hesitation. In a single, fluid movement, the Phantom Warrior delivered three swift, devastating strikes before the beetle even had a chance to process the attack. A sharp, satisfying crunch echoed through the clearing as Carver’s blade pierced its petal-like shell, splitting it open. The beetle staggered, its heavy form trembling as it struggled to turn and face its attacker.

The other beetle nearby reacted instantly, its antennae snapping up as it detected the scuffle. It charged toward Carver, mandibles clicking with aggressive speed.

A notification appeared in Colm’s vision.

Blossom Beetle (Level 4) Defeated. Experience Gained. Bonus experience granted for defeating a higher level enemy.

He quickly dismissed the notification, his focus shifting back to the approaching beetle. Carver, undeterred, dodged the beetle’s charge, pivoting smoothly to strike it. The warrior’s blade struck true, staggering the beetle as it stumbled back.

Before the beetle could recover, Carver delivered another swift blow, ending its charge. Another notification popped up.

Blossom Beetle (Level 2) Defeated. Experience Gained.

But before Carver could turn to the last beetle, the beetle that initially charged towards Colm, it had pivoted back to the phantom and struck the warrior with a powerful charge. The impact sent the Phantom Warrior shimmering, its form wavering before it vanished, returning to the spirit realm.

Your Phantom Warrior has been destroyed.

"No!" Colm whispered sharply, frustration mixing with a pang of unexpected loss. Carver had been with him through every challenge, every small victory. Seeing it disappear, even temporarily, felt strangely painful. But he forced himself to refocus. "Stay sharp, Colm. Don’t get reckless."

With a steady breath, he re-summoned Carver, directing it to hover nearby as a backup. He wanted to test his own abilities against the remaining beetle to see if his training had indeed paid off.

"Stay close, but let me take this one," he muttered to Carver, issuing a mental command for the warrior, only to intervene if necessary.

He moved slowly, keeping his stance balanced as he closed in on the beetle. The creature’s antennae twitched, and it turned to face him, clicking its mandibles in warning. Colm waited, watching its movements closely, and as it charged forward, he sidestepped quickly, bringing his spear down in a controlled arc that struck its exposed back.

The beetle wheeled around, antennae flaring, and he braced himself, ready to dodge its next charge. Each time it lunged, he sidestepped and countered, using his spear to strike its vulnerable spots. After repeating the process several times, the beetle finally collapsed, its legs twitching before it went still.

A final notification appeared.

Blossom Beetle (Level 2) Defeated. Experience Gained.

Panting, Colm dropped to the ground, feeling both relief and a thrill of exhilaration. He glanced at the notifications, satisfaction spreading through him. "Progress, Carver. Real progress," he said, grinning as he caught his breath.

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The exhaustion in his muscles, and the stinging soreness from the encounter, only heightened his sense of accomplishment. He opened his status sheet to check his progress.

[ Status ]

Name: Colm Arden

Race: Human

Level: 2

Health: 110 / 110

Mana: 45 / 70

Strength: 10

Dexterity: 14

Intelligence: 17

Constitution: 11

Class: Spirit Warden

Active Class Abilities:

- Phantom Warrior (Level 1)

- Empty

Passive Class Abilities:

- Lingering Vitality (Level 2)

- Empty

Skills:

- Analyze (Level 2)

- Stealth (Level 1)

Achievements:

- Through the Rift

As he scanned the details, a sense of pride swelled within him. "We’re getting there, Carver," he said, his voice laced with determination. "There’s still a way to go, but I can feel it. We’re just getting started."

He took a moment to let the adrenaline fade, feeling a newfound resolve settling within him. He was learning to adapt, and with each fight, he felt more in tune with both himself and the Echoed Lands.

----------------------------------------

Colm wasn’t done stumbling upon Blossom Beetles. Over the next few days, he roamed through the dense woods, following the subtle sounds of the rustling beetles, trusting them to guide him toward clusters of creatures. The beetles seemed to congregate in small groups, often three at a time, though he occasionally came across larger swarms. With each encounter, Colm’s method became more efficient, his strikes sharper, and his tactics refined.

To start, he relied on a familiar strategy: he would send Carver in first, allowing his Phantom Warrior to handle the bulk of the fighting. Carver would charge into the fray, drawing the attention of the beetles, while Colm remained hidden, carefully conserving his energy and preparing for the finishing blows. Nearly every time, Carver would be defeated in the fight, but Colm would simply resummon him and finish off the final beetle himself.

This method served him well—until he encountered a particularly powerful group led by a beetle unlike any he’d faced before. Its shell gleamed with a more intense hue, and its movements were quicker, more deliberate. Colm activated Analyze and felt his pulse quicken as he read the result.

Blossom Beetle (Level 7)

Blossom Beetle (Level 4)

"Level 7…" he murmured, glancing at Carver. "This might be a bit tricky."

Colm considered turning around, but he pushed the thought aside. Experience had taught him that levels weren’t everything; strategy and preparation could tip the scales. He carefully surveyed his surroundings, noting possible routes for escape or evasion if things went south. The familiar thrill of danger ran through him, and he gripped his spear tightly. "All right, Carver," he whispered, "let’s stick with the usual plan, but stay sharp. This one might hit harder."

As usual, he sent Carver in from the side, hoping to take out the larger beetle swiftly. Carver moved with precision, charging at the beetle’s flank, but this time, something was different. The Level 7 beetle reacted with surprising speed, countering with a brutal swipe of its mandibles. Carver shimmered and faded, defeated before he’d even had a chance to land a proper blow.

Your Phantom Warrior has been destroyed.

Colm’s heart raced. The large beetle had somehow sensed him, its antennae swiveling as it picked up on his presence despite his best efforts to stay concealed. Panic shot through him as he took a quick step back, but the beetle lunged forward with unexpected speed, its body grazing his side. Pain lanced through him as he stumbled back, his health dropping by nearly a third. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to focus. With a quick breath, he resummoned Carver, directing him to hold the position in the brush as Colm retreated a few steps, keeping himself low and hidden, willing the pain to dull.

The beetles charged after him, dead set on closing the distance, and Colm’s mind raced, fighting the instinct to panic. As they barreled through the undergrowth, they were oblivious to Carver waiting in the shadows. Colm gave a mental command, and Carver sprang forward, landing a precise strike on the large beetle’s vulnerable side. With the leader dispatched, the remaining two beetles fell into a predictable pattern, and together, Colm and Carver finished them off with relative ease.

When the last beetle lay still, Colm sank to his knees, clutching his side and feeling the raw sting of the wound, letting his Lingering Vitality do its job. The encounter had been closer than he’d expected—a harsh reminder of how quickly things could go wrong in the Echoed Lands.

Blossom Beetle (Level 7) Defeated. Experience Gained. Bonus experience granted for defeating a higher level enemy.

Blossom Beetle (Level 4) Defeated. Experience Gained.

When the dust settled, Colm took a long, steadying breath, letting the adrenaline fade. He had come close to disaster—too close. Sitting down against a tree, he reflected on the encounter, running through what he’d learned. "If that beetle had gotten close enough… I would’ve been done for," he muttered. The realization sent a chill through him. It was a stark reminder that even with his recent progress, he still had weaknesses he couldn’t ignore.

"Looks like I need some kind of defense," he said to Carver, who stood silently nearby. "Something that can keep me safe when things go sideways."

He hoped that as he grew stronger, he might unlock new class skills to cover this vulnerability. But since he had no way of knowing when—or if—that would happen, he resolved to keep pressing forward, determined to become strong enough that even the toughest beetles in the Grove would be no match.

The following days turned into a cycle of scouting, fighting, and resting. With each new encounter, Colm ventured deeper into the Grove, where the Blossom Beetles seemed to grow in both number and strength. The sounds of rustling foliage and distant growls from unseen creatures kept him on high alert, a constant reminder that the Grove held more than just beetles. He stumbled upon different, passive wildlife over the days. Some resembled bunnies, foxes, and even an occasional bird, but nothing but the beetles were aggressive and offered him a fight.

He continued refining his tactics. Using Stealth, he would position himself before each fight, staying hidden while Carver engaged the beetles. He became quicker at identifying weak points in their shells, learning to time his strikes to maximize his advantage. In turn, Carver’s movements grew sharper and more synchronized with Colm’s commands until they moved almost as one.

One evening, as he scouted through yet another patch of dense foliage, he realized something strange: despite scouring the area, he could no longer find any more beetles worth fighting. He encountered a few, but each one was now several levels lower than him. When he defeated one and didn’t gain a single point of experience, he paused, furrowing his brow.

"Guess that means we’ve outgrown them," he said, glancing over at Carver. A sense of accomplishment filled him, mixed with the familiar thrill of wanting to push himself further. It was time to look for bigger prey.

Later that night, Colm sat at his makeshift camp near a stream he’d discovered, finishing off his meal of Celestial Blooms. He stared at the Grove around him, the flickering glow of mana-rich plants casting faint shadows that danced across the forest floor.

"I think it’s time to try and find something a bit stronger, Carver," he said, looking at the spectral figure beside him. His voice was calm steady, and for the first time, he felt as if he was speaking to more than just a summon. "What do you think?" he asked, almost as if expecting a response from his silent ally.

Carver, of course, remained still, its presence unchanging, but Colm felt a sense of reassurance in its silence. This spectral companion had been with him through every close call, every victory, and every moment of doubt. It had become more than a skill—it was a partner, a trusted ally.

"Guess that’s settled, then," he murmured, glancing down at his notifications and relishing his progress over the past few days.

Lingering Vitality (Level 2) is now Lingering Vitality (Level 3)

Phantom Warrior (Level 1) is now Phantom Warrior (Level 2)

The effect of Lingering Vitality had strengthened, and Colm could already sense a slight improvement in his recovery rate—a small but satisfying change. For his Phantom Warrior, he noticed subtle differences: the warrior’s form appeared a bit more solid, its blade sharper, and it could now move slightly farther away from him, reaching a range of 55 feet.

[ Status ]

Name: Colm Arden

Race: Human

Level: 6

Health: 140 / 140

Mana: 110 / 110

Strength: 14

Dexterity: 18

Intelligence: 22

Constitution: 14

Class: Spirit Warden

Active Class Abilities:

- Phantom Warrior (Level 2)

- Empty

Passive Class Abilities:

- Lingering Vitality (Level 3)

- Empty

Skills:

- Analyze (Level 2)

- Stealth (Level 1)

Achievements:

- Through the Rift

Seeing his stats filled him with quiet pride. He was stronger now—physically, mentally, and as a fighter. At first, he'd planned to focus less on strength, hoping to keep his distance and rely on strategy over raw power. But the Grove had shown him otherwise. Facing down Blossom Beetles in tight quarters, relying on close-range attacks with his spear, and the need to react quickly had shifted his perspective. He’d needed more strength than he’d anticipated—and he’d adapted.

The days of stumbling unthinkingly through the Grove, overwhelmed by every sound and shadow, felt distant now. He had a purpose and a clear goal, and he was willing to do whatever it took to reach it. Flexibility, he realized, was just as crucial as a strategy in the Echoed Lands.

He took a final look around, the sounds of the Grove filling his ears. Tomorrow, he would venture deeper, beyond the Grove’s familiar paths, seeking out whatever new challenges awaited him. He still had a long way to go, but he felt ready, more prepared than he’d ever been.

"Tomorrow, we hunt for something bigger," he said, nodding toward Carver. "Let’s see what else The Lucent Grove has in store for us."

Chapter 6: Onwards

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