The morning sun was beginning to rise higher, warming Lucas's back as he stood in the clearing, excitement buzzing through his veins. The interface had informed him that he could use Blink, an ability that would let him teleport short distances. At first, Lucas had felt a mix of emotions—excitement at the idea of such an interesting power, but also a hint of intimidation. The concept of bending space like that seemed almost unreal, and he wondered if he would even be able to control it. The very concept of it was incredible—being able to move from one place to another in an instant, without physically crossing the space in between. It felt like something pulled straight from a video game or a fantasy novel, something that only existed in stories—but now, it was real. Lucas felt a mix of anticipation and nervous energy, his thoughts racing at the possibilities. He needed to try it for himself, to understand how it felt, how it worked, and if he could truly control it. There was no way he could ignore this power; he had to experience it firsthand. "A good thief has to master all the tools at his disposal," he mumbled, thinking back to his past life on Earth.
He took a deep breath, focusing on a point a few meters ahead of him, just beyond the edge of the clearing where the grass gave way to a patch of open ground. The mana within him seemed to respond to his intent, a faint sensation of energy coiling and gathering just beneath his skin. He took a moment to brace himself and then, with a single mental push, activated Blink.
The world shifted in an instant, his vision blurring and twisting as reality seemed to tear around him. His body moved without physically moving, and for a split second, it felt like he was both everywhere and nowhere. A profound sense of weightlessness gripped him, as if the laws of nature had ceased to apply—a pull deep in his core that twisted his insides. And then—he was there. The exact spot he had focused on. Lucas stumbled, his knees nearly buckling as his senses recalibrated, his body struggling to adjust to the sudden displacement. His ears rang with the whoosh of air that seemed to echo in his head, and a faint metallic tang filled his nose. The world around him felt disjointed, the scent of crushed grass and damp earth mixing with the dizziness that gripped him. He could hear the rustling leaves, each sound amplified and disorienting, as if he had momentarily lost his place in reality. "I need to get used to that, or I'll be an easy target in a fight," he thought. But even amidst the dizziness, the thrill coursed through him—he had actually done it. He had broken the boundaries of space.
"Whoa," Lucas breathed, a grin spreading across his face. He steadied himself, his pulse pounding with a mix of exhilaration and disbelief. It wasn't perfect—he could already tell that mastering Blink was going to take practice, especially if he wanted to use it without the awkward stumbling afterward. But the fact that he could move like that—jump through space in an instant—was beyond incredible.
He took a few more tries, each time focusing on a different point in the clearing—sometimes closer, sometimes farther. Each time, the sensation became a little less disorienting, his body growing more accustomed to the instantaneous movement. The mana expenditure was noticeable, a draining sensation that left him feeling slightly hollow, but he still had plenty of energy to spare.
After a few more attempts, Lucas finally paused to catch his breath. As he did, his eyes caught sight of something just beyond the clearing—a plant, standing out among the grass and foliage. It was strange, its leaves shimmering faintly, almost as if they were absorbing the sunlight differently from the rest of the surrounding greenery.
Curiosity piqued, Lucas approached the plant. It was small, with broad leaves that seemed to glow with a soft, pulsating light. He focused on the plant, leaning in closer, his mind narrowing in on every detail—the shape of the leaves, the peculiar texture, the way the veins of the plant seemed to hum with energy. As he stared at it, he felt something stirring inside of him, almost like a build-up of pressure. It was as though a hidden part of him was trying to connect with the plant, and he had to dig deep—almost unlocking the feeling with sheer will and effort. The pressure mounted, growing more intense, until suddenly it snapped into place.
Suddenly, a prompt appeared within his vision, translucent and glowing softly.
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Inspect Ability Unlocked
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Plant: Glowroot Fern
Description: A rare fern that absorbs ambient magical energy from its environment. Its glow indicates a high concentration of magic in the area.
Basic Uses: Often used in alchemical mixtures for enhancing mana recovery. The leaves, when crushed, can serve as a mild luminescent agent.
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Lucas blinked, the prompt fading as quickly as it had come. He stared at the plant, then at his hand, a sense of wonder slowly overtaking him. He had developed a new ability—Inspect. It was almost as if the shard—or perhaps the interface itself—was adapting to him, giving him tools he needed to understand this world.
"Glowroot Fern," Lucas murmured, touching the edge of one of the leaves gently. The glow flickered slightly at his touch, and he couldn’t help but feel a small surge of satisfaction. This ability—to look at something and learn about it instantly—was going to be incredibly useful.
Lucas spent a few more minutes examining the fern, testing his Inspect ability on different plants and rocks nearby. The information that appeared was sometimes mundane, other times surprising—but each use of Inspect felt like another small step towards understanding this new world. He felt more connected to the land around him, like he was peeling back layers of mystery with every glance.
He picked the Glowroot Fern carefully, examining the glowing leaves as he wondered how best to use it, just as the prompt had suggested. Could it help him recover mana faster, or maybe serve another purpose if prepared properly? Lucas's mind raced with possibilities, eager to test what this plant could do. He noticed his mana already beginning to regenerate, and decided to wait a few moments until it fully replenished. It was better to be at full strength before moving forward.
He was just about to turn back to the clearing when he heard a faint noise in the distance—something that didn’t quite belong in the quiet of the forest. He paused, straining to listen, and then he heard it again—a sharp cry, distant but distinct. Lucas's head snapped up, his senses sharpening as adrenaline surged through his veins. He didn't know what drove this reaction, only that he had to act. This wasn’t just an animal or random noise; it sounded like a struggle. Without a second thought, he moved towards the direction of the sound, weaving his way through the trees, driven by the urgency that someone might be in danger.
The scene that met his eyes made his heart lurch. A young woman, no older than Lucas, was pinned against the trunk of a tree, her eyes wide with terror. Two men loomed over her, one of them with a knife glinting in his hand. The woman's gaze darted to Lucas, a plea for help clear in her eyes. The scene dragged Lucas back to his childhood in Steelhaven. Countless times, he had witnessed scenes just like this—people in danger, powerless to defend themselves, while he had been too weak and scared to intervene. He remembered the helplessness, the gnawing frustration of wanting to help but feeling too insignificant to make a difference. Now, in this moment, he felt all of that surge to the surface—except this time, he had the power, and he would not stand by.
Lucas heard the woman scream again, her voice echoing through the forest, closer now and just as heart-wrenching. He caught sight of the man with the knife, his arm swinging out and striking the woman across the face, abruptly silencing her cry. "No one can hear you out here, you stuck-up bitch," the man snarled, his voice dripping with malice. Lucas didn’t think—he acted. His hand moved to his mark, feeling the shard’s warmth respond, giving him the confidence he needed. He hurried to pick up a rock within reach, then focused on the spot just behind the two attackers, feeling the mana coil and build within him.
Blink.
In an instant, he was there. The world blurred and twisted, and Lucas felt a rush—like the space between him and his target folded, compressing into nothingness. He reappeared behind the men, the sudden shift disorienting them. Before they could react, Lucas lunged at the one with the knife, yanking him backward, the force of his movement almost knocking them both off balance. The man's startled shout echoed in the clearing, a sound full of shock and fear.
The second attacker spun around, eyes wide in disbelief, but Lucas moved before the man could fully grasp what was happening. He swung the rock in a wide arc, putting all his weight behind it. The impact was brutal—bone meeting stone with a sickening thud. The man let out a strangled grunt, his eyes rolling back as he staggered. His foot caught on a root, sending him crashing to the forest floor.
Lucas paused for the briefest moment, panting, his gaze locked on the attacker sprawled at his feet. His chest heaved as adrenaline coursed through him, and there was a grim realization in the back of his mind—he'd hit the man harder than he'd expected. Harder than he even knew he was capable of. The sickening impact echoed in his ears, and a part of him recoiled at the thought, but there was no time to dwell on it. Not now, when danger was still very real.
"Run!" Lucas shouted to the woman, his voice ragged but forceful, demanding action. She hesitated for a heartbeat, her eyes wide with terror, before she turned and sprinted into the trees, her footsteps fading quickly into the underbrush. Lucas spun back toward the other attacker, his heart pounding like a drum, each beat fueling his resolve. Adrenaline surged through every fiber of his being, heightening his senses, sharpening his focus. The man was scrambling to his feet, his face twisted in a mix of rage and confusion. The other attacker lay disturbingly still, not making a sound. Lucas's gaze flicked to him for just a moment, the lack of movement suggesting he was either unconscious or worse.
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Lucas turned his full attention to the armed attacker, gripping the rock tightly until his knuckles turned white. The man snarled, his rage boiling over as he lunged toward Lucas, the knife glinting menacingly in the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.
Lucas’s instincts screamed at him, and time seemed to slow. He knew he couldn’t take this man head-on, not while unarmed. He had to be smart. He had to use Blink, and use it well. The blade arced toward him, cutting through the air, but Lucas had already made his move. He focused, his eyes locking on a point just to the man's left, feeling the mana surge through his veins, a rush like fire in his blood.
Lucas's heart pounded, adrenaline flooding his veins once more. He knew he couldn't take this man head-on, not while unarmed. He needed to be smart. He needed to use Blink. The man slashed at him, but Lucas had already anticipated the strike. He focused on a spot just to the man's left, feeling the mana surge through him.
Blink.
He reappeared beside the attacker, the sudden shift leaving the man momentarily disoriented. Lucas swung the rock with everything he had, aiming for the man's arm. The impact was solid, a dull thud as the man cursed, stumbling backward from the force. Lucas didn't let up—he couldn't. His pulse thundered in his ears, his mind running purely on instinct and adrenaline.
He blinked again, the world blurring around him as he moved. This time, he reappeared behind the attacker. The man spun, eyes wild, knife hand flailing as he tried to locate Lucas, but the rapid shifts had left him vulnerable. Lucas could see the man's confusion, the fear beginning to creep in, and it fueled him.
Mana drained from him, a pulling sensation that left his limbs feeling heavier, but Lucas pushed through. He knew he had one more chance to end this. With another surge, he blinked one last time, reappearing directly in front of the attacker. Before the man could react, Lucas grabbed his knife arm with both hands, twisting sharply. The man yelped in pain, his grip loosening as the knife slipped from his hand, clattering onto the forest floor.
A flash of memory hit Lucas—Seraphina lunging at him back in Steelhaven, her eyes hard and unyielding, wooden knife in hand. They had practiced for moments like this, training for the inevitable violence that life had always promised them. He could still see her intensity, her refusal to accept anything less than his best. If she could see him now, using those same lessons—maybe she'd be proud.
Without hesitation, Lucas snatched the fallen knife, his fingers tightening around the hilt. He stepped back, his breaths ragged, adrenaline still coursing through him. The attacker’s eyes widened, panic flickering across his face as he realized he was now defenseless. Lucas leveled the knife at him, his gaze unwavering, his chest heaving as he caught his breath.
"Stay down," Lucas growled, his voice cold. The attacker hesitated, his eyes darting to his fallen companion, then back to Lucas. "You... you have a Whisper Shard, don't you, you bastard?" Fear flickered across his face as his voice trembled. He glanced around, his resolve breaking. "Screw this, she's not worth it." With one last fearful glance at Lucas, he turned abruptly and bolted into the forest, disappearing through the trees.
Lucas stood there for a moment, the knife still in his hand, his breath now ragged. He glanced down at the knife, then back to where the attacker had disappeared into the forest. "Guess you won’t be needing this anymore," he muttered, a hint of snark lacing his words. Then, his thoughts shifted—why had the attacker mentioned a Whisper Shard? Not an Echo Shard? It struck him as odd. Did people here not even know about Echo Shards, or was there something more to it? The adrenaline slowly ebbed, leaving him shaky, exhausted, and full of questions.
He hadn’t planned on getting into a fight, but the situation had left him with no choice. He just hoped the woman had managed to escape safely.
As he caught his breath, a voice called out from behind him. "Hey! Wait!"
Lucas turned, surprised to see the young woman running towards him, her face flushed but determined. She stopped a few paces away, breathing heavily, her eyes locked on his.
"You saved me," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Thank you. I... I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come."
Lucas gave a small, slightly awkward smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah. No problem. Just... right place, right time, I guess." The thought made him wonder about his Luck stat. Could there be some kind of connection? Maybe his luck was more than just a number—it could be the reason he was in the right place at the right time. One glance at her now bruising cheek brought him back to reality.
The woman stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. "My name's Elara. You’re not from around here, are you?"
Lucas shook his head. "No, I’m... kind of new to this place. Just trying to figure things out."
Elara gave him a long, considering look, then sighed. "I guess you could say I'm not exactly having the best day myself. Those men... they were supposed to be my escorts." She glanced down, a mixture of anger and embarrassment flashing across her face. "My father hired them to bring me to a city about a week’s journey from here. We were attacked by bandits two days ago, lost the carriage, and everything else of value we had. After that, the men started getting frustrated, angry. They blamed me for the trouble, for slowing them down." Her voice trembled slightly, but she steadied herself. "Today, they finally snapped."
“I’m really sorry you had to go through that,” Lucas said, his voice filled with empathy. He paused, his eyes meeting hers. “I’ve seen what people can become when they think there are no consequences. It’s... not easy to witness, let alone be the target.” He shifted his weight, sensing the heaviness of the topic. He decided to steer the conversation elsewhere, trying to bring some sense of direction. "Your father? He must be someone important if he could afford to hire escorts."
Elara nodded, though her shoulders remained tense and her eyes darted nervously to the forest around them. "He is. He's one of the wealthier merchants in River’s Edge—a city about a week’s walk from here, if you're unlucky." She paused, her eyes meeting his. "I was supposed to go there to handle some business for him. But instead, everything went wrong."
Elara looked down, kicking at a loose pebble. "I thought I could reason with them, that maybe they'd calm down once we reached the next village. I had nowhere else to go, and they were armed. I didn't think I could make it alone." She let out a bitter laugh. "Turns out, I was wrong. They weren’t interested in protecting me anymore—only in taking out their frustration, and who knows what else."
Lucas felt a surge of sympathy. "Well, I’m glad I was there when I was," he said. "No one deserves that."
Elara's smile wavered, a shadow of lingering fear still visible in her eyes. She shifted uneasily, her gaze darting towards the trees as if expecting the attackers to return at any moment. "You saved my life, and for that, I owe you," she said, her voice not quite steady. "But..." She hesitated, her eyes meeting his with a flicker of vulnerability. "I'm not sure…"
Lucas nodded, understanding the hesitation. He had seen enough betrayal in his past to know trust wasn't easily given, especially after something like this. "I get it," he said softly. "After what those guys did, you'd be right to be cautious. But maybe I can help you out—at least until we reach that town you mentioned. I was trying to get to the nearest town anyway. I could... escort you the rest of the way." He offered her a small, genuine smile, trying to ease some of the tension.
Elara's brow furrowed, and she seemed to weigh his words for a moment. Her eyes searched his face, looking for any sign of deceit, and when she found none, she exhaled slowly. "Alright," she said at last, though her voice was still tinged with reluctance. "But just so we're clear—if I even think you're trying anything, I won't hesitate to run or fight back."
Lucas held up his hands, palms out. "Fair enough. I'd expect nothing less." He could see the tension still in her posture, but he knew it would take time for her to relax after what she'd been through. "Let's just get you somewhere safe."
Elara gave a short nod and turned, motioning for him to follow. Lucas fell into step beside her, glancing around cautiously as they moved through the forest. His senses heightened by the recent fight, and his mind raced with everything that had happened. He had tested his abilities, and now found himself playing the role of an impromptu bodyguard.
The walk was tense at first, with Elara keeping a bit of distance between them, her eyes darting around as if expecting danger to leap from every shadow. Slowly, as the minutes passed, the silence between them began to feel less oppressive. Lucas tried to make small talk, sharing bits and pieces of his own confusion about the world he found himself in, which seemed to pique her curiosity.
"You really aren't from around here, are you?" she asked, glancing at him with a mix of skepticism and curiosity.
Lucas shook his head. "No, I'm not sure exactly what happened. I think some kind of magical accident sent me to the plains, but I really don’t know how or why it happened." He tried to keep his explanation vague, not wanting to reveal too much about himself.
Elara gave him a long look, her curiosity evident. "That sounds... pretty chaotic. And that ability you used back there—I don’t even know how to describe it—do you have a Whisper Shard?" she asked, her voice laced with cautious interest.
Lucas hesitated. She had used the term 'Whisper Shard,' just like the attacker had earlier. He wasn't sure how much she knew, and he didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to himself. He nodded slowly. "Yeah... something like that. I’m not really comfortable talking about it, though. I only used it because I didn’t have a choice—to save you." He glanced away, feeling a little awkward.
Elara seemed to notice his discomfort and nodded in understanding. "I get it. I won’t push you on it. You saved my life, after all, and I owe you for that." She paused for a moment, then pointed to the east. "The town I was heading to—it's that way. It's about a week’s walk from here, assuming we don't run into more trouble. The past two days have been hell, walking with those men after our carriage got stolen. I don’t know how I would have made it much farther on my own."
Lucas looked in the direction she indicated, the trees thinning out slightly in the distance. He gave her a nod. "Alright, let's get moving then. The sooner we get there, the better."
Elara gave a small smile, her tension easing just a little. She turned, and Lucas fell into step beside her. They walked in silence for a while, the forest around them growing quieter, as if holding its breath after the chaos that had erupted moments ago. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, and the occasional rustle of a small animal moving through the underbrush added an eerie sense of life to the otherwise still forest. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled patterns across the forest floor, and Lucas could hear the distant chirping of birds, slowly returning after the commotion. Each step seemed to echo louder in the silence, the crunch of twigs and leaves underfoot a reminder that they were not alone. Lucas kept his senses alert, his grip still firm on the knife as they moved. Whatever awaited them in this strange new world, he was ready to face it—step by step, surprise by surprise.