‘Level Up’

‘Level Up’

‘Congratulations. New achievements unlocked: [Limit Breaker] and [Sabotage Survivor]. Abilities gained: [Mana Surge] and [Survivor’s Instinct].’

‘[Mana Surge]: Access unlimited mana for 60 seconds when mana is depleted. Activation costs half of the current HP. Cooldown: 12 hours.’

‘[Survivor’s Instinct]: Heightens senses and reflexes, +3 to perception and dexterity for 10 minutes. Immune to surprise attacks during this period. Cooldown: 6 hours.’

“Huh,” grunted Aidan as he read the messages that flashed before his eyes. Two new abilities were not something to complain about, but the loss of the village and all the soldiers that had fought seemed a high price to pay. Aidan struggled not to throw up as he thought about the temple soldiers that he had killed.

It still shocked him. He had killed them. Sure, it was them or him. But somehow, it didn’t make the fact that he had killed them sit any easier. He couldn’t claim that he didn’t have blood on his hands now.

The forest felt eerily silent as Kaelira knelt beside him. Aidan noticed that she looked tired, but her eyes still held concern. “Hey,” said Kaelira softly. “We need to keep moving. Can you stand?”

Aidan didn’t trust himself to speak, simply nodding his reply. Kaelira stared at him for a second longer before standing and offering her hand to help him up. Aidan noticed Liora watching him as he got back to his feet. She seemed angry about something as she continued to glare daggers.

Kaelira scanned their surroundings before nodding to herself. “Ok. Let’s get moving.” A heavy silence fell between them as the two followed Kaelira. Aidan wasn’t sure about their direction; everything looked the same to him as they moved through the trees.

The forest was dense, with towering trees stretching endlessly into the sky. Their thick, gnarled trunks were covered in moss, and their leaves formed a dense canopy overhead, allowing only slivers of moonlight to filter through. The ground was littered with fallen leaves, and twigs crunched softly underfoot. The air was thick with the earthy scent of the forest, occasionally interrupted by the acrid smell of smoke carried on the breeze from the village they had fled.

Now and then, a distant scream or the faint clash of steel would echo through the trees, a dark reminder of all they had left behind. The sounds sent shivers down Aidan’s spine, and he glanced over his shoulder more often than he’d like to admit.

A breeze rustled the leaves as they made their way through the forest, causing shadows to dance eerily in the dim light. The occasional hoot of an owl or the rustling of small creatures in the underbrush added to the uneasy atmosphere.

“We need to move faster,” Liora said finally after the three of them had been walking for a while, her voice cutting through the quiet. “They’ll be after us. We can’t afford to go this slowly.”

Kaelira sighed before nodding, her expression grim. “You’re right. We’ll pick up the pace for a while. Stay close and keep your eyes and ears open. We don’t know what else might be out here.”

Aidan shook his head as he looked at them. “Do you think anyone else survived?”

Liora snorted. “We’re lucky we made it out. It would be suicide to even think about looking for anyone else.”

“We’re not going back,” Kaelira said firmly. “But I agree that we need to know if others are scattered and vulnerable out here.”

Liora shook her head, her expression darkening. “And how exactly do you propose we do that? Wander aimlessly through the forest, hoping to stumble upon survivors. We don’t have the time or the resources for this kind of wishful thinking.”

“We need a plan,” Kaelira continued. “Somewhere to regroup and think about our next steps. We can’t keep running without a direction.”

“And where exactly do you suggest we go?” Liora snapped. “The temple soldiers are everywhere, and we have no idea how far their reach extends out here.”

Kaelira took a deep breath, maintaining her composure. “There are old hideouts in the forest. Places we used to use for training and strategy meetings. They’re well hidden and defensible.”

Liora crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. “And how do you propose we find one of these hideouts in the dark, with no supplies and the useless one here?”

Aidan winced at the bluntness of her words but didn’t argue. He knew she still saw his current state as a liability. The fight escaping the village had proven that.

“I remember the way,” Kaelira said calmly. “We’ll make it. We need to stay focused and work together.”

Liora scoffed but didn’t argue further. Aidan watched the exchange, feeling frustration running through him. He hated being seen as a burden but couldn’t deny the truth in Liora’s words. He knew his time would be short if he didn’t get stronger fast.

Just as they began to move again, Aidan heard a faint rustling in the underbrush. He tensed, raising a hand to signal the others. Kaelira and Liora immediately fell silent, their eyes scanning the darkness.

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“Someone’s coming,” Aidan whispered, his voice barely audible.

They crouched low, hiding behind a thick cluster of bushes. Moments later, a small group of villagers and soldiers stumbled into view. They looked dishevelled and frightened, their clothes torn and dirtied from their escape.

Kaelira stepped out from their hiding spot, her hands raised in peace. “Friends,” she called softly. “We’re friends.”

The new group froze, their eyes wide with fear. But as they recognised Kaelira, relief washed over their faces.

“Kaelira!” one of the villagers, an older man with a grizzled beard, exclaimed. “Thank the goddess. We thought we were the only ones who made it out.”

Kaelira quickly assessed the group, noticing their injuries and exhaustion. “Did anyone else escape?” she asked urgently.

The older man shook his head. “Not many. A few of us managed to flee, but most who weren’t killed were caught… taken by the temple soldiers.”

Aidan’s heart sank. “Taken? Where?”

“They’re being held as slaves,” another villager, a woman with a tear-streaked face, said. “The temple soldiers are taking them to the old ruins. We heard them say they would be using them for forced labour.”

Liora’s eyes narrowed. “We can’t help them. We should leave them there. And plan our escape. These people will only slow us down.”

Kaelira turned her head, her eyes wide in complete shock. “We are not going to leave them. How could you even think of that? We need to be smart about this. We’ll find a safe place for everyone to rest and plan a rescue.”

Aidan looked at the group of survivors; their faces didn’t hold much hope, and more than a few looked despairing. He knew this wouldn’t be easy, but it felt like the right thing to do. Liora threw her hands up and stomped away. Aidan shook his head. He couldn’t understand what was going on with her. She seemed like a completely different person.

Kaelira sighed, rubbing her temples as she watched Liora’s retreating figure. “Alright,” she said, turning back to the group. “We need to find somewhere safe to regroup. There are old hideouts in the forest that we used to use for training and strategy meetings. They’re well hidden and defensible. We’ll head there.”

An older man with a grizzled beard nodded. “Lead the way, Kaelira. We’ll follow.”

Kaelira took the lead, guiding the group through the dense forest. The trees loomed overhead, their branches creating a canopy blocking most of the moonlight. The path was uneven and littered with fallen branches and rocks, making the journey difficult, especially for the injured and exhausted villagers.

As they moved deeper into the forest, the sounds of the occasional hoot of an owl or the rustling of small creatures in the underbrush.

Aidan found himself walking beside Liora, who still wore a scowl on her face. He glanced at her, unsure of what to say. Finally, he mustered the courage to speak. “Liora, why are you so angry?”

Liora’s eyes flicked towards him, her expression hard. “Why? Because this is madness. We’re risking our lives for people who will only slow us down. You saw what happened back there. We barely made it out alive. We should ditch the lot of them and escape on our own.”

Aidan frowned. “But they’re our people. We can’t just leave them to suffer.”

Liora scoffed. “Our people… And what happens when we get caught trying to save them? We all die. Sometimes, you have to make hard choices to survive.”

Kaelira let out a loud sigh as she overheard the conversation and interjected. “We’re not abandoning anyone, Liora. We’re stronger together. These people might slow us down but also give us a reason to fight. We can’t lose sight of that.”

Liora muttered something under her breath but didn’t argue further. After an hour of navigating the dense forest, they reached a natural barrier: a steep ravine with a fast-flowing river at the bottom. Kaelira paused, assessing the situation. “We need to cross this. There’s a narrow path up ahead that should lead us to a safer area.”

Aidan noticed something odd about the ground as they approached the narrow path. He squinted, trying to make out the details in the dim light. “Wait,” he said, holding up a hand. “There’s something off here.”

Kaelira crouched down, inspecting the ground where Aidan pointed. Her eyes widened. “Magical traps. The temple soldiers must have set them.”

The group tensed, the realisation sinking in. Navigating the traps would be dangerous, but they had no choice. Kaelira stood up, determination in her eyes. “Everyone, stay close. Follow my lead and step exactly where I step. Does anyone have any detection skills?”

Aidan raised his hand after he realised no one else had anything. “Um. I have [Survivor’s Instinct]. It should be able to detect them.”

“Ok. Aidan, use your [Survivor’s Instinct] to help us spot any hidden dangers,” said Kaelira before gesturing for him to lead.

Aidan nodded, activating his ability. His senses heightened, allowing him to detect the faint magical auras of the traps. He guided the group carefully, pointing out areas to avoid and helping them navigate the treacherous path.

As they moved cautiously, Aidan noticed another trap hidden among the underbrush. “Wait,” he whispered, kneeling to inspect it more closely. “There’s another one here.”

Kaelira called over one of the soldiers, a young man with keen eyes and steady hands. “I’ve seen you do this before. Can you help him disarm it?”

The soldier nodded and joined Aidan. Together, they carefully worked to disarm the trap, avoiding the intricate magical triggers. After a few tense moments, they successfully disabled it. Aidan let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding.

They continued onward, but it wasn’t long before Aidan spotted another trap. This one was more complex, with multiple layers of enchantments. He signalled for the group to stop and gestured for the soldier to assist him again.

“This one’s tricky,” Aidan said quietly as they examined the trap. “It has a few different layers to it.”

The soldier nodded, his expression serious. They meticulously deactivated the layers of the trap, working in unison. Sweat beaded on Aidan’s forehead as they delicately neutralised the final enchantment. With a sigh of relief, they moved past the disabled trap.

After what felt like an eternity, they reached the other side of the ravine, exhausted but unharmed. Kaelira led them to a concealed entrance hidden behind a thick curtain of vines. “This way,” she said, pushing aside the vines to reveal a narrow tunnel.

The tunnel opened into a spacious cavern, dimly lit by bioluminescent fungi growing on the walls. The air inside was cool and dry, a welcome respite from the oppressive humidity of the forest.

“We can rest here for a while,” Kaelira said, her voice echoing softly in the cavern. “It’s safe, and we can plan our next move.”

The villagers and soldiers sank to the ground, grateful for the brief respite. Aidan sat down, his mind racing with thoughts of what lay ahead. The journey was far from over, but they had a moment to breathe for now.

Kaelira approached him, a small smile on her lips. “You did well back there, Aidan. Those abilities of yours are going to be invaluable.”

Aidan nodded, feeling a sense of pride and the weight of responsibility. “We’ll get through this,” he said, more to himself than anyone else. “We have to.”

Kaelira’s smile widened. “We will. Together.”