Chapter 53: When-did-go?

Adam readied himself to fight the Wendigo. Perhaps it would have helpful abilities that they could analyze afterward, as he had heard they were tough to kill.

He strolled towards it, allowing Libby to analyze anything she wanted to. The Wendigo stirred to life and eyeballed him when he got within fifty meters. It then bellowed, or more like screeched, and came running full tilt at him. As it got closer, he saw it was a mangled, deformed thing. It looked like someone had sewed it together from different body parts at Bears-are-us.

Its dark aura was almost tangible.

Tipped with something gooey, long talons extended down from its shaggy arms, all matted fur and sinewed muscle. It leaped almost twenty feet in one bound, crashing down where it was supposed to be, and then looked around bewildered, snarling, sending spittle showing onto the surrounding undergrowth, where it sizzled happily.

Ok. Poison too. Identify gave some interesting information:

Old Man of the Woods, Wendigo – Level 63

Jackpot! Indeed, it must have a decent core. He thought the name did seem a bit dignified for the monstrosity that turned to face him again. But he guessed it had gained a title or two at well over ten feet tall.

It changed tactics and started ripping up the undergrowth, throwing a storm of debris his way. He could see this might work on another adversary, as the earth showering down made for a perfect dust cloak to hide its advance. But, of course, Adam could see it as clearly as day, although the dust still got in his physical eyes.

He let it come at him, then regretted it; the stench emanating from the beast was unbelievable. A fetid smorgasbord of putrification. So he decided, after checking with Libby, to end it quickly.

Drawing his sword in a diagonal slash, he lopped its head off. This, however, sent a miasm of thick gloop spraying everywhere. He closed his physical eyes again and sliced and diced until nothing was left standing, but plenty was left twitching on the ground. It was trying to pull itself back together again, interesting, not. He just wanted the core, after a bit more slashing, he extricated the beast’s heart which turned out to be its core, he determined from the energy signature.

It was covered in thick ice, and black smoke poured from it as it beat. Adam just wanted to be away from there, away from the smell. So he placed the whole thing in his PD bag.

He wondered if this would kill it stone dead or freeze it in time.

“It could potentially be another kind of core battery we could use. You would have to set it up in a physical location with many life forms. Lifeforms that I guess you didn’t mind getting killed. It feeds on soul energies converting them into a form of dark energy. So we would need to convert it into pure mana and store it.” Said Libby ponderously.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

He would see how they went with cores; it seemed worthwhile to have an extra option, even if it was grim-sounding.

Adam made his way further in that direction, hoping to find some more prizes.

Bai Zhoo studied the core now more carefully. He had only had the chance to gauge its level before, but now, in the privacy of his abode, he found it belonged to a stone-tusk boar. It seemed his brother’s story held up at the moment. The chances of Bo-Xue coming up with such a core or through trade were next to zero.

“Ok. Bo-Xue, you have your brother’s full attention. Tell me what else you know.” Said Zhoo, leaning back with his hands clasped. He would see what he could gain from such an influential association.

“I know very little about this man, Adam, but what I can surmise as can you. Is that he is indeed a miracle. A miracle that we must utilize to the fullest. He is currently residing in my village. He is now laying low for some reason which I have yet to ascertain. He has been traveling with eleven children and one old man. They are of the Relite race and seem unimportant, except to him.” Bo-Xue summarised.

“Incidentally, how did you get this man to separate himself from such a treasure? And do you think he has more?” Zhoo queried.

“He is hard to read, but I can see no reason other than that he did not know its true value. So much is still puzzling, though, I agree.” So Bo-Xue said, implying he wanted his brother’s assistance.

“I cannot currently make a trip to the village. Is there any possibility of bringing him here? Or I could send another, but that would not do. It is aggravating, but my job does not allow me much freedom.” Zhoo replied, perplexed. He wanted to go, but his responsibilities tied him down; he was not a free agent like his wiley brother.

Bai Bo-Xue, left, promising to try and get Adam to come to Weihou somehow.

Adam had cleaned off using Libby’s mana field but still felt tainted from the Wendigos, plural. He had found five more. Now, he bathed in a stream, stretching his tired muscles.

He hoped the Wendigo cores were helpful as the creatures had decimated the area; he had seen no other forms of life but birds, not even a small rodent. The soil and trees were all tainted with the dark energy from the Wendigos, causing everything to wither.

He decided to continue killing them. One because he thought this area deserved a break from their foulness. Two, because he wanted to know how far their area spread before he got to a new location with more normal cores.

Shadow jumping, he reached the top of a tree, where he could look out over the forest canopy. He could use his energy sight, but as far as range was concerned, this was even better as he could easily make out the parts of the forest that the Wendigo had ravaged. They stood out as dark blotches among the green. He could not see any green as far into the distance as he looked, which was worrying. Based on his current figures, he would reckon there being well over a hundred, maybe even two hundred Wendigos in that territory unless they were on the move. He could not figure it out at the moment. And so he continued the culling.

Libby wondered if a Wendigo core could affect another Wendigo. She presumed it would just eat it and become stronger. But it might be helpful if she could trap the Wendigo or block it from doing so. She would ask Adam First her thoughts.

Libby and the others had been concerned about Adam’s experience at the shrine. Another entity being able to get at Adam without their knowledge was a significant problem. They had advised Adam to stay away from the shrines, but that was not to say he would be safe.