He awoke in the darkness, with a tempest falling as if the sky was about to break.

Around him, the mud and puddles were so high they almost covered his entire rocky body.

Leye focused on the screen that provided information about his current state. His water and energy points had increased to twenty-five. Then he remembered everything: the suffering caused by the subterranean intruders who had pierced his being, and the pain that left him unconscious.

They were still there, but the extreme pain was now merely a nuisance. The prolonged rest must have increased his tolerance to the multiple branches embedded in his interior.

Soon, daylight returned, giving way to a relentless sun, and with it, the parrots and macaws arrived. Although they provided much less energy than the monkeys, their presence and the touch of their feet on his rocky surface rejuvenated him.

"It's incredible that I survived. Not only did my consciousness remain, but now I feel more powerful."

Then he noticed something he hadn't perceived before due to the bewilderment of his survival. His area of influence had expanded to a league.

Not only that. The branches that had pierced Leye were now part of his core and allowed him to see through three nearby trees, like small watchtowers at his disposal.

He saw leagues filled with trees, much taller than those he now controlled, blocking his vision. But it was something.

A thought came to his mind, probably transmitted by the infinite wisdom of his mother.

"Whenever there are two nearby entities, one tends to prey on the other. There will always be a struggle for power between two beings that coexist."

He thought about the trees he now controlled. They had tried to dominate him when he entered their territory, but the victory was his.

He spent a significant portion of the energy points the downpour had granted him to study their branches, trunks, and leaves. He extended his consciousness to them.

They were large and lush, especially the one in the middle of the other two. Weeds and other shrubs grew around them, full of beetles and ants.

"I can't do anything to eliminate them. I'll use them to my advantage."

Now that he had a bit of energy at his disposal, along with what the birds walking on his shell provided, he tried to move. Again, he managed to tremble a bit, causing small waves in the puddle around him, but not enough to scare the parrots away.

His energy dropped to ten points as he studied the ceiba trees, whose leaves moved indifferently in the afternoon wind. Instinctively, he knew that if he gave them some of his energy, their fruits and leaves would grow faster.

He kept observing. The "0" on his screen in the "creatures" section sparked his curiosity.

He knew that at some point, he could control the insects, monkeys, birds, and other creatures that came within his reach, but he didn't know how.

He also didn't know if he would gain that power before something destroyed him.

"These ceiba trees were about to erase my consciousness. Even though I was the one who eventually controlled them, if they had attacked a bit faster, perhaps the story would be different," he thought, as he felt more and more birds walking on his body. "But if more powerful beasts or humans come, my existence will be at risk. I will need to evolve soon, or I'll be doomed."

He recalled the human cities he had seen from his mother's womb: huge cities full of pyramids and stone walls, along with groups of armed men riding felines; they moved in large groups and fought among themselves. If he were discovered by one of them before he was ready, he'd be lost. He wondered if he could extend his consciousness to thinking beings like those.

"I'd better focus on controlling the monkeys for now. If I somehow find a way to handle their small bodies to bring me resources, I’ll be able to grow quickly and be prepared for any attack."

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The prospect was good, but he had to work with what he had now and use wisely the few water and energy points at his disposal.

"We barely escaped," Nilu whispered among the bushes, holding his sword tightly.

"Shh. Don’t say a word. We don’t know if they’re still close by," Naya sighed with eyes wide open, her bow fully drawn. The girl ran like never before, and sweat still beaded on her forehead. Her sobs were barely audible.

The three companions had spent at least an hour in those thorny brambles.

They remained silent a while longer, but seeing that nothing happened, they crept out. They were at the forest’s edge, covered in mud so the jaguars from the Eyen squad couldn't track them.

"It's going to get dark," Vidul said, sheathing his two daggers into his belt. "I think we can head to the nearest village."

"I don't think it's a good idea, brother. Those guys seemed determined to catch us, and I don’t think the darkness will stop their hunt. It’s better to delve into the jungle for a while," Nilu sheathed his sword under his cloak but remained vigilant, taking advantage of the last rays of light. "I'm sure we can hunt a snake to avoid starving."

"If they don't hunt us first."

In the end, they did as he said. He was their group leader, and so far, his decisions had kept them alive, both inside and outside the dungeons.

The path became denser as they advanced, but they didn’t stop for at least three hours when the density of trunks and branches barely allowed them to move forward.

Naya, the best tracker on the team, soon spotted an anaconda and hunted it with a precise dart to its huge head.

Nilu and Vidul used their weapons to clear the brush around them and lit a fire to cook the animal. Though the fire could reveal their position, it was unlikely that their enemies would come searching for them deep in the jungle. After a few days, they’d probably get bored and leave them alone. The three trackers were experts at moving through the jungle since childhood, which allowed them to use it to their advantage, attacking enemies from the shadows and disappearing without a trace.

"This is where the explosion occurred, isn't it?" Vidul asked while chewing on a piece of grilled meat.

"I think so, but by now the branches have probably absorbed it. I doubt we’ll find more than a piece of moon rock. It’s best not to stray too far from the Anen valley. After all, there are several dungeon portals we can loot once the Eyen squads lower their guard. Although they’re fierce, they don’t have the numbers to clear so many portals quickly."

"My lord, it’s a sensible idea. But many times, those meteors bring materials we could sell at high prices in the markets, and they might even surpass the energy gems the portals offer, not to mention we wouldn’t risk so much against enemy troops."

There was no reply. Nilu knew his companion was right. Although they’d have to travel many leagues in rough terrain, they were skilled enough to cross it while the enemies pursued them and return to the valley once they had given up.

"What do you think, Naya? I don't think the plan is that far-fetched," he said after a while, once he’d satisfied his hunger. The escape had barely left him with any energy.

"We could investigate."

And that's what they did. After resting for a while, they ventured deeper into the jungle. The mud on their bodies kept the mosquitoes at bay and protected them from being detected by the jaguars, which they could easily dispatch, but weren't their target. The only jaguars they were interested in were those from the portals, whose magical teeth and skins sold very well in the markets.

As they moved cautiously among the ferns, they began to talk about the country's situation. After all, they still had several leagues to go before reaching the spot where the meteor had fallen two nights earlier.

Nilu had heard the boom just as they were exiting a level 3 portal, which had left them with a few gems that wouldn't even cover the cost of repairing their weapons.

"I think our country will soon be annexed by the empire, without any way to avoid it," Vidul said, routinely cutting through the brush with his daggers. "You’ve seen the size of their squads. They have at least six men, all with level-five auras. There are few warriors who can face such a threat. Not to mention the huge jaguars they ride; I’ve never seen creatures that big."

"It was predictable," Naya replied, who was right behind him. Nilu brought up the rear, ready with his sword for any threat. "Ixtul is much larger and more powerful than our little country. Besides, they're allied with the Eyen mercenaries. We stand no chance."

The group leader sighed. It was true. Since they had decided to venture into their lands, they’d done nothing but push their forces further into the jungle. Not to mention, they’d taken control of most of the portals appearing in their lands, killing the local trackers who dared to clear them.

They massacred them as they emerged, exhausted from the portals, stealing their loot.

"We’ll have to fight with what we have," he told his companions, trying to boost their spirits. "A country isn't defeated as long as its people's spirit remains unbroken."

They continued advancing throughout the next morning until they reached where the meteor had fallen.

It was a huge stone, with a greenish, scaly shell like a crocodile's skin, and about half the size of a house. Around it, the trees and shrubs had burned from the impact, though a good number of branches and saltpeter had already settled in the surrounding terrain, and some colorful birds walked on the mound as if drawn to it.

"It's beautiful," Naya whispered.

"It is, but be careful. Don't touch it; we don't know what it's made of or if it might contain some demonic spirit," Nilu cautioned, weapon in hand.

His companions also drew their weapons unconsciously, as if someone might be watching them from afar.

Once they felt safe, they began to move slowly toward the rock. Somehow, they felt drawn to it, captivated by its beauty and the energy it emitted.