Kael held his breath as the swirling purple light of the portal enveloped him. Traversing always made him a little nervous—a lingering reminder of his earlier, more harrowing journeys into fractured worlds, each trip a testament to his own vulnerability. But this time felt different. It wasn’t just Yareeth’s presence beside him, her scaled hand resting on his arm, a source of unexpected warmth and strength. It was the certainty of their purpose—the knowledge that they were working towards something more than just survival, that they were building… He hesitated over the word. A team, that’s what they’d agreed on.
The portal spat them back into the Nexus, the transition a familiar jolt that sent a shiver down Kael’s spine. The silence and stillness of the basement washed over him like a wave, a stark contrast to the raw, primal energy of the battlefield they’d just left behind. He staggered, his legs shaky as the adrenaline of the fight ebbed away, leaving him acutely aware of the ache in his muscles and the throbbing pain in his chest where the Shadowfang Hunter’s claws had grazed him.
Realm Cleansed...
Realm Energy Extracted...
Refining...
Converting...
Imbuing...
Stat Points +2
Skill Points +2
Void Shard Slots Replenished
Rewards Received:
50 XP
2x Coarse Hide (Common) 1x Sharp Tooth (Common) 1x Iron Shard (Uncommon)
The metallic tang of blood still lingered in his senses, and the grit of the realm’s dust clung to his skin—a reminder of the close call, their shared victory against those relentless creatures. His gaze darted around, searching for confirmation, seeking...
There—just a few steps away—Yareeth. She’d made it. They’d both made it.
“We did good,” he said, pushing himself away from the wall, his voice a quiet acknowledgment of their shared success. His boots, new and heavy, didn’t slip on the stone floor as he took a step forward.
He moved closer to her, their pack a jumble of leather and bone with the faint, earthy scent of the realms clinging to the hides. The air in the Nexus felt different—cleaner somehow. The usual scent of mildew and dust was muted by the lingering aroma of the plains, a faint, sweet fragrance of wildflowers that made his chest feel lighter.
The soft glow of the torch he’d lit, a flickering orange beacon against the rough stone walls, illuminated her face. Her scales gleamed dully in the light, a testament to the day’s hard-won victory, the marks of exhaustion etched into her features—a reminder of the trials they’d endured. But there was something else there, too—a spark of exhilaration.
He gestured toward the pile of items on the floor. “Let’s see what we’ve got.”
His System screen, a faint blue rectangle, hovered in the air. He’d grown used to its presence, its pronouncements now more of a confirmation than a command. He even found himself anticipating them, the dopamine rush of each skill level up, the weight of those stat increases.
Yareeth was already kneeling, her pack spread open before her, the contents laid out. “Here,” she said, passing him the stack of Chitinous Guardian claws and mandibles they’d collected. “It was… strange. They were so single-minded. Driven by hunger. Even with those fangs and claws, they were… less complicated than humans.”
Her observation struck him like a revelation, the truth of her words resonating with his own growing understanding of the city.
The simplicity of a realm’s rules, even in their brutal cruelty, made Mudtown seem more ominous—a place of even greater darkness. She didn’t grasp the subtleties of lies, the way a kind word could conceal a twisted intention, a thirst for power.
He reached out, lifting the shards of chitin, admiring their strength. “You said there might be a use for these? At the Market? Do you think that merchant woman would want them?” He turned the shard over in his hands, the surface polished by endless winds and battles. He’d spent his life surrounded by junk, by the discarded detritus of a society that worshipped wealth. Yet, he hadn’t noticed the finer details before—the way even a broken piece of something could still hold a spark of its former beauty, its intrinsic worth.
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“Those herbs… the Shard pieces? She said she’d pay well.” He remembered the list of herbs, carefully folded and hidden in one of his pockets—a promise. Their Quest.
The question lingered between them, heavy with unspoken thoughts. They both knew, with an uneasy certainty, that they weren’t just scavenging or bartering for survival. It was… a business? “And this,” she said, carefully unwrapping a bundle that held a strange, pulsating shard. “Remember? It shimmered with an almost purple glow—the creature’s energy…” Her voice trailed off as she laid out a small, irregularly shaped shard that emitted a faint, ethereal light. “Maybe it’s… valuable, somehow.”
The air crackled as they reached for it at the same time, their fingers brushing. It was a strange, unexpected connection—the rough, calloused surface of his skin against the smooth coolness of her scales. She didn’t flinch, didn’t pull back. They both held the shard for a moment, their shared curiosity silencing the unease that lingered just beneath the surface. He remembered that first night, when she’d cowered in the darkness, fear raw and stark in those expressive eyes. But she wasn’t afraid of him anymore. Not now. He saw strength in her, in the way she carried the weight of her grief, her loss. And a beauty, in the iridescent sheen of those now-duller scales. The thought surprised him—a sudden, unexpected jolt of something…
He drew his hand away, shoving the emotion aside. “Right. Valuable.” His voice was rough, averted gaze hiding the awkward heat creeping up his neck.
“They come from the creatures’ shells. They’re… tough. Durable. Maybe the blacksmith, or that merchant… They’re strong.” They had to do more than sell those shards for a few measly bronze coins to fund their next expedition. They’d get a better price for the hides, but these shards—they were a resource to be used carefully, a spark in the ashes of her lost world.
This realm… it hadn’t been easy. The exhaustion still clung to him, but there was a new lightness, a thrumming energy beneath the aches. The scent of wildflowers lingered in the air, a sweet, faint reminder. “You know, we make a good team. Those wolves, that leader…” He trailed off, a self-mocking chuckle breaking the tension.
She heard the tightness in his voice, glanced up from the herb she was studying, concern etching lines between her eyes. But that, too, felt right. “Don’t,” she whispered. It was enough.
He smiled, and for the first time in a long, long time, he felt the shadows of Mudtown, the ghosts of his past, recede. He’d thought he was strong, thought he could take on anything alone. The fights, the Market, the rituals of this new life, the shard’s ever-present hum—he’d been a fool, hiding, running.
He was still scared, yes—of the powers, of what he might become, of what this city, this system, this chaotic life would demand from them both. But that fear was different now, a protective, watchful fear, honed by experience. It was a shared fear, a bond between them. It would keep them alive. He knew it with a certainty that went beyond the System’s pronouncements. He looked at Yareeth, her brow furrowed in concentration, the flickering torchlight casting strange, dancing shadows across her scales. This place… it wasn’t just a haven anymore.
It was home.
He would make sure those shadows didn’t touch her, wouldn’t darken the spark that was beginning to glow bright and strong in her heart.
“What are you smiling about?” She tilted her head, that same curious look that had always both unnerved and…
He didn’t answer, couldn’t bring himself to voice those tangled thoughts.
“Those points,” he said, gesturing to the screen, its pulsing blue light a haven in the cool, firelit basement. “I should use them.” He saw her nodding.
He’d learned something. They were more than allies now. The System’s new upgrade, the skill, the words it used—"Team Synergy.” He didn’t feel like he deserved this, but when her gaze met his, she offered a wry, crooked smile.
“We have a lot to work on, you and I. But at least you’ve finally caught on. Or has your System upgraded to help you realize we’re in this together?” Her playful jab meant more to him than any reassurance she could give. It was real.
“Ha. Very funny.” He couldn’t tell if the tremor in his voice was the lingering poison or her presence.
He allocated his points, first one into his new Shattering Impact and than one to Opportunistic Fighter. Then one to Survival Instincts and two to Regeneration. Finally, one more into Blunt Weapons. Those made the most sense for this new kind of combat. He knew, deep down, there would be more creatures. More challenges.
“I should…” He clicked through the Stat screens, adding more points into Agility and Precision, then Explosive Power and Reflexes, and finally two into Vitality He felt her watching him, her scales shimmering faintly in the torchlight. She had faith in his choices. “It worked well last time, with the boss, right?” He looked up, seeking affirmation.
“You’re quick now. Fast. Like a swamp viper.” Her analogy was both beautiful and unsettling. He remembered the way she’d darted, her scales a flicker of movement. She wasn’t comparing herself to him, he realized. Just… describing.