I hobbled through the forest, my head darting from side to side at every crackle and rustle. The daylight was swiftly evaporating, and my surroundings morphed into an oppressive labyrinth of shadow and sound. The once-beautiful landscape now seemed bizarre and menacing. As the light receded, deep, guttural roars and high-pitched screams echoed through the dense canopy, amplifying the foreboding atmosphere. I wasn’t so naïve as to believe I could survive another encounter with a creature more formidable than myself. Shelter and a way to neutralize the venom were essential; otherwise, my quest for Redemption would be a brief, tragic endeavor. I was desperate for a miracle.
As I stumbled along, a peculiar flower caught my eye. Its stalk glowed with an otherworldly burgundy hue, and its petals sparkled with an almost magical cyan brilliance. Enchanted by its beauty, I plucked the delicate bloom from the earth and clutched it tightly, as if it might offer me some arcane luck in my frantic struggle for survival. I didn’t fully understand my fascination, but I was clinging to the hope that this flower might become my talisman of fortune.
The gloom that enveloped me was nearly suffocating, but I laughed at the absurdity of my plight. The laugh came out as a harsh, barking cough, an ugly sound that seemed to mock my grim situation. As eerie noises continued to pierce the silence, I chastised myself for the sound and pressed on, attuned to the symphony of rustles, growls, and whispers that surrounded me. A faint gurgling sound pierced through the cacophony, igniting a spark of desperate urgency within me.
“Water,” I croaked, momentarily forgetting my need for stealth. I shuffled towards the sound with as much speed as my weary legs could manage.
The word triggered a memory of a parched sponge, but I dismissed it, focusing instead on the promise of salvation that the sound represented. I burst through the undergrowth and stumbled upon a lively little river, its waters dancing with a crystalline clarity. I collapsed at the riverbank, dropping my scant possessions beside me, and plunged my head into the cool water, scrubbing at the remnants of blue ichor staining my face.
Moments later, I drank greedily from the river, but my thirst overwhelmed me, and soon enough, I was retching up the precious liquid I had just consumed. I staggered back from the edge, struggling to calm my churning stomach.
“I hate…blegh…this place,” I groaned, hiccupping softly. As my stomach finally settled, I leaned forward again, slowly sipping the water. Minutes passed as I drank with deliberate slowness, trying to quench my insatiable thirst. I glanced at the centipede bite on my calf and saw that the swelling had only worsened. I gingerly dipped my leg into the river, shivering as the cool water met my feverish skin.
With the venom spreading rapidly through my bloodstream, I knew time was not on my side. The thought of my mortality weighed heavily on me, and unless I stumbled upon some form of civilization, I doubted I would survive much longer. The more I moved, the worse my condition seemed to get. Feeling cornered, I stared hopelessly at the river.
I sat there for what felt like an eternity, dangling my feet in the water and watching the ripples and eddies swirl around me. It almost felt as if I could feel the venom battling against the current inside my body. Small fish darted through the river’s depths, and a flash of movement triggered a memory.
In a vast auditorium filled with faceless spectators, a man stood at the forefront. His back was turned, hands clasped behind him. He pivoted to face us, his weathered face and disheveled attire a stark contrast to the sharp intelligence gleaming in his mahogany eyes.
“Today, we will discuss white blood cells and antibodies,” he intoned, casting a stern look at those who failed to pay attention. “These cells are your blood's weaponry, yet they are ineffective without antibodies. Antibodies cling to foreign invaders in your body, signaling white blood cells to destroy them. Your body is a sophisticated tool, and its unseen processes are immensely powerful.”
His voice began to fade, and I was pulled back to the present. The memory had ignited a spark of determination within me, linked to the venom coursing through my veins. I could feel the venom raging through me, a fierce battle against my blood’s defenses. It was as if I could sense my white blood cells fighting back, with some red blood cells transforming into white ones in response. Yet, their numbers were insufficient to counteract the venom’s assault on my heart.
I willed my red blood cells to transform more rapidly, and to my surprise, they began to flood my system, pushing back the venom’s tide. Realizing I also needed antibodies, I directed more cells to convert into antibodies and guide them towards the venom. Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion hit me, and I collapsed onto my back, my legs still immersed in the river’s currents. I remained conscious but felt nearly paralyzed, unable to move. I focused on the blue light flashing at the periphery of my vision.
New skills learned!
Blood Control: “The blood is the life.” – Dracula. Focus bodily recovery on wounds of your choice. Continue developing this skill to learn more.
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Will: “Much to learn you still have.” – Unknown. Actually…surprised that you got this one. Force the world to bend to your commands. Continue developing this skill to learn more.
You are no longer envenomed!
I wanted to shout in triumph upon reading the last notification, but my body remained unresponsive. As I lay there, paralyzed, I sensed my blood cleansing the remnants of the centipede venom. With time on my hands, I reflected on the day’s events. If I were honest, I was lucky to be alive. It felt as if some omnipotent force was guiding me through survival. The chance of making a connection between the fish in the river and my blood cells seemed slim without external help, but I wasn’t about to dismiss such providence.
The risk of encountering predators was high, and my attempts at staying hidden weren't very effective either. I almost yelled in relief when I realized the poison was gone. I wasn’t about to let the snarky text win yet. With a surge of determined frustration—or perhaps a tantrum akin to a child’s—I willed my body to respond. It took several moments to twitch my fingers and many more to push myself into a sitting position.
By now, the last slivers of daylight filtering through the forest canopy had vanished completely. Though the poison was no longer a threat, lingering by the river's edge would only attract more predators. For now, I was still prey.
I pulled my legs from the river and examined the wound on my calf. The swelling and bleeding had diminished, but the darkness made it hard to see clearly. The only light came from the bioluminescent flora, casting eerie glows that illuminated pools of shadow and the trees' pulsating veins. I staggered to my feet, gathering the bone, the flower, and the centipede remains. With no clear direction, I set off again, striving to be as stealthy as possible in my search for safety. I moved like an awkward specter, skirting around pools of light and pausing frequently to listen for any signs of danger.
Not long after leaving the riverbank, I spotted a creature scaling the side of a luminescent tree several meters ahead. Its appearance was an eldritch amalgamation of feline and tentacled horror. Initially feline in shape, it had tentacles where whiskers should have been and a serrated beak replacing a normal maw. I froze, hoping it wouldn’t notice me, when a new notification flashed urgently at the edge of my senses. I quickly willed it open, hoping it held crucial information.
New skills learned!
Identify: Wow, this one might save your life. Might want to look at the tree again. Learn basic details of the world around you. Higher levels of this skill will provide more information.
Stealth: You have the subtlety of a drunk bear. You’re still not a ninja. You have begun to learn the ways of the hunter. Blend in with the shadows and become one with silence.
My eyes snapped back to the tree, but the creature had vanished. Panic surged within me as I tried to locate it. My ears picked up a faint groaning sound from above. My heart sank. If my instincts were correct, the creature was lurking above me. My mind raced, but I quickly settled on a plan. I had only one chance to survive. Moving as quietly as possible, I tossed the remains of the baby centipede, hoping it would distract the creature.
As the carcass fell, a shadow, moving with uncanny speed, intercepted it mid-air. I watched in horror as the creature savagely devoured the centipede remains. I crouched in the recesses of a tree’s knotted roots, engulfed in fear by the creature’s predatory elegance. While it finished with its meal and gathered the remains with its tentacles, I swiftly identified it before watching it vanish into the shadows.
Species: Cormek
Level: 12
A nocturnal hunter, this creature is an apex predator of the Wertelli forest. Known for its speed, brutality, and stealth, very few are those who encounter one and survive.
Well, I guess I’m in the Wertelli Forest, I thought, my body quivering with the unwanted acknowledgment that I had once again brushed with death. The flower from earlier had fallen to the ground a few feet away, and I stared at it, triggering Identify once more.
Species: Telesia
A cultivation aid.
And…that gave me jack all, I thought.
Regardless, the word cultivation ignited another burst of knowledge in my head. Memories flooded back, filled with countless novels about powerful sects and fantastical characters. There seemed to be common themes: characters with spiritual cores in which their power resided, ethereal veins to channel that power, and gates with blockages of corruption that needed cleansing to increase their efficiency and efficacy. To strengthen their cores and spiritual bodies, they meditated near objects with which their spirit resonated and consumed alchemical pills or potions. I was probably missing a ton of information, but I hoped this world worked at least somewhat like the stories of my past. If it did, maybe I could actually survive.
As silently as possible, I shuffled forward to pick the flower up, casting furtive glances along the way. I was still Willing the darkness to encompass me, but I was under no illusion that I was powerful enough to hide from all of the forest’s denizens. With the flower in one hand and the bone in the other, I shuffled back to the network of roots where I had been hiding. I crept as deep as possible within the small burrow, trying to formulate a plan. I attempted to stay conscious, but before I knew it, my body gave in to bone-deep exhaustion, and all went dark.