[Year 22]

How long has it been? Lazarus kept fighting the Grug, frustrated that he couldn't see the day or night cycle he was familiar with. He just kept his body moving, the juice that kept him going was slowly depleting and yet the Grug still stood till the very end.

Lazarus stood shakily, trying to catch his breath. He still held the bag that contained the samples. He held onto it stubbornly, his mind filled with the fact that he needed to find the suitable material to make pots, for his daughter to enjoy something.

He continued, raising his body as if the tiredness was something temporary, he continued, upward, he knew he was underground and moving downward was not something good. He has been feeling this stingy sensation under his skin for a while, it's more apparent when he uses the energy within him.

So he decided it best to refrain from using skills for a while, only relying on his unique constitution. Without skills, he could still fight a Scorn Bear so he decided it would be fine for a time.

The Grug he managed to kill after making him retreat deeper was now lying down lifeless. Through frustration and anger, he wanted to destroy this thing, however, that thought immediately went away when he noticed that the energy within the Grug went inside him, and some scattered away, being absorbed in the environment.

Being able to see the energy scattering is something people with enough energy control in their eyes could only do but since Lazarus’ unique birth(creation) he had this ability ever since the beginning.

Arkum could see the same, after all, he had reached tier third, the realm of demigods. Thanks to their unique constitution, the energies with different attributes. Though they cannot differentiate it. Lazarus was thankful enough to have the ability to see them.

Because the moment he looked down he could only see a dense amount of energy, and pulsed like waves coming from below and slowly ascending. If the situation were different he would’ve taken the Grug back to Village and given it to Kavo to record its innards before dismantling it.

So he only ascended, he could see the pulse from within the walls, and the wave was nearing, he thought it was only a wave of energy going upward so he didn't particularly heed it any mind until the wave of energy brushed against him. He felt overwhelmed, his exhausted body absorbed the energy around him to make up for what was lacking.

And it burned, he fell on the floor, his eyes turning white because of the pain. He felt like his entire life flashed before his eyes, only consisting of what Foreline is today and his family. When it stopped he felt like he was full, the burning sensation still lingering.

He struggled, trying to stand up. He stayed kneeling breathing heavily for a while. Only changing after hearing a low growl, he looked around in wariness. Forcing his fatigued body to stand.

His eyes darted around, looking for anything hostile. Then he felt something cold, he dashed sidewards, and just as he did a narrow gash appeared just as where he used to be. It may look underwhelming but considering that the gash was clean Lazarus was in disbelief. If he were there a moment ago he would’ve been dead.

Lazarus kept his eyes peeled, any visual information that gets filtered in his eyes for use, however, the dim and damp cave is the only thing that gets presented in front of him. He opened his eyes, darting around trying to find the aggressor but nothing could be seen. He felt the same premonition of danger and dashed on his side.

As expected, another gash on the ground looked like it was done effortlessly as well, like a hot knife through butter. Lazarus's eyes darted around the place but he couldn't pinpoint the location of the monster. In the end, he ran for it, relying on his instincts and intuition alone to dodge the attacks of the invisible aggressor.

Lazarus was reminded of the hunters. Shavik to be specific. A conversation he had when he was dealing with the Scorn Fox, Scorn Cicada, Scourge Polp, etc.

“When the enemy is not visible sense them the other way. Sight is not all there is.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You have your ears, nose…and especially the skin.”

Right, that conversation seems to have pointed out crucial things that Lazarus needs. However, where would he start? He doesn't know how to sense with the skin, nose or ears. But… he could use that… the energy that fills his vision, but it's pretty difficult.

He could only see in motes of light sometimes a stream with no colours, but at this point? He has to try. He checked around, the motes of light spread across the walls, beneath him brighter.

His eyes scurried around trying to identify the one attacking him, it was hard. The motes of light were not stationary.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The energy on the walls continued moving, but Lazarus tried to differentiate, his eyes looking for something different. A blur then passed his vision, he felt the same sensation and dashed away, this time his eyes caught something.

But he wasn't fast enough it disappeared after it left its attacks, Lazarus was frustrated but he kept going, his body was already tired of fighting the Grug, he couldn't just go running now or it would tire him more later.

By then he would have no means of defending himself.

It will take a while, but he will surely figure out where the monster is.

***

Arkum and Shavik are the two hunters in the villager with high prestige, Arkum the Mightiest Edge and Shavik, The Seeker of the Unforseen. Two with their titles, a culture they derived from the Book of Beginnings, they liked the idea that titles propose, mainly, the idea that it described what one can do.

Shavik was out at the forefront. He ran in pace to his team, finding the traces of their comrade. A few hours back Shavik’s team agreed to be the scout to do reconnaissance, they're the most suitable as they can avoid monsters that would delude their senses.

“Hunter Shavik!”

“Yes?”

They momentarily stopped in their tracks and viewed the surroundings for any traces of Lazarus, they did find Lazarus’s marking in the trees but that wasn't the reason why they stopped.

The younger hunter pointed at the bulbous flesh in the distance, under it are a mass of tentacles that seems to be neverending. Shavik was about to command them to retreat, that mass of bulbous flesh was a new monster they had not encountered before.

“Alright everyone we’re out”

But as he was doing so he looked at his group just to find them mesmerized by the bulbous flesh, he looked at the bulbous flesh just to find it to have opened into an eye, directly looking at them, it has this hypnotizing pattern that repeatedly waves out in its surface. Shavik felt something call out to him, he was so allured that he almost forgot why he was here in the first place.

He shook his head and took out a cloth to cover his eyes, but that didn't end there, his ears heard this constant ringing that he couldn't just shake off, it felt like someone was putting a knife to his mind directly the mental pain is immense he started bleeding out of his nose.

“Argh…”

Shavik moaned, more concerned about his group than himself he let out his senses to see where they are just to learn that they are walking towards the monster like puppets. Shavik was planning to just go and inform his fellow hunters and warriors. But it seems that he couldn't let this monster sit around.

He took out his dagger. Made of obsidian, and rushed towards the bulbous flesh of a monster, it seems to have noticed his intent to kill it as the pain in his head became prominent the more he got closer, making him stagger for a bit, holding his head.

He felt something ominous and dashed back to the left, just then a tentacle landed at the spot where he used to be, a mark on the ground going sideways could be seen. Shavik sighed deeply, his group was nearing the monster, if they took a direct hit it would be disastrous.

Shavik went on the move, circling the monster, when he got a clear view he found out the name of the creature.

[Scourge Eyemaw]

Shavik cursed as he got closer, every time the ringing in his ear and the pain in his head got worse, though he wanted to kill it as soon as possible the way it hindered him was just annoying.

Though it didn't mean he would just stay still and let his group die, he grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it in the direction of the monster, he moved away and the dirt got blocked by a tentacle, he repeated this a few more time till finally, he found a rock the size of his fist.

Shavik moved a few metres away and aimed at the Eyemaw, with a clear conviction to end its life his throw moved at speeds impossible for the naked eye to detect, and the monster knowing the threat in front of it moved multiple tentacles to protect its position, it felt that if it blocked with a tentacle it will be destroyed without a trace.

It was correct, Shavik threw the rock and it roared as it soared, the rock exploded on the wall of tentacles that the monster deployed, some of the tentacles got destroyed while the remaining were bleeding. In the same time frame, Shavik closed the distance and was in front of the Eyemaw.

But it looks like the Eyemaw detected his presence as it widened its eyes to reveal patterns of unknown purpose, it became more aggressive as it started attacking in the same pattern. Shavik swore his head felt like it would explode while dodging the swift tentacles that tried to reach him.

One tentacle tried attacking but Shavik was faster. Shavik’s obsidian blade stabbed down the eye in the middle of the bulbous flesh. It went in with a disgusting sound. Shavik found it irritating and he slumped down on the spot, drops of blood went on the ground and Shavik noticed the wetness of his nose.

Touching his nose he knew it was his blood. He stayed slumped on the ground for a while.

His group of hunters eventually woke up from the illusion of the Eyemaw and saw Shavik near the monster they were shocked and in disbelief, running towards Shavik out of worry.

“Hunter! Hunter!”

“I am fine, just tired.”

“You fought the monster all on your own?” one asked in disbelief.

“Of course, I’m no weaker than my friend, just a little specialized.”

Shavik coughed for a bit, blood spraying out. When his group of hunters saw that they were immediately carrying Shavik despite his protests, in the end, he couldn't get up anymore and he indeed needed their help.

***

“This is…”

A night filled with worries, Mari has a hard time eating and focusing on her projects. But she didn't neglect her kids. She stayed with them instead.

“It’s true! Grandpa told me Papa is fine!” Kei said with conviction.

“Grandpa… Hadro?”

“Yes!”

Mari was a bit hesitant to accept the fact that their god patron was her children’s grandfather, not because she viewed Hadro in a negative light, only because he was a god. So she doesn't know if it is disrespectful to their god. But then again, the children told her that Hadro insisted on calling him grandpa so she couldn't object but the feeling was still there.

“Well, if your grandpa says so… then, okay…”

Mari was dead worried, but all she could do right now is to trust the people around her. She believed that her husband would one day come back and affectionately embrace his family once again.

“Right, I can't stay still like this.”

Mari patted Kei’s head with a sigh and walked to her notes-filled room. These days they're transitioning from mud houses to wooden houses, and they have more rooms than previously before. Not to say that mudhouses are already out of commission, it's just that they're more fit to be used for warehouses. Since the mudbrick is a good insulator of cold.

Mari had some ideas and projects. Right now she has a meter stick on her hand. Something she worked hard on, it's a rough idea of it and she knew that this was inaccurate, a few beads of grains inaccurate from the actual meter.

But it wasn't so bad, she decided that they now had an accurate scale of measurement and it was time to distribute, this within the Village and see how good it was. After compiling her work in an organized set she went to her bedroom, where her children were. She prepared herself for slumber, then she was taken into a jungle of books.

“Mari, my daughter.”

In front of her is her patron god.