Extract from the -{ Tome of Light }- the divine scripture of the Church of Light.
"When the echoes of remorse haunt the hearts of men, seek refuge in the luminous embrace of my truth. I am the beacon that guides the repentant soul toward absolution, for in my light lies the cleansing fire of divine forgiveness." (The Faults in Man - 3:4)
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The world tilted and blurred as Asher drove his knife deeper into the Earthhide bear's neck. Blood, hot and thick, gushed over his hands as he used the beast's own massive bulk against it. With a primal yell, he threw his weight sideways, tearing the wound wider. The bear's agonized roar vibrated through Asher's entire body as he clung to its back, desperately maintaining his grip.
Time seemed to slow as Asher wrapped his free arm around the creature's neck, feeling the powerful muscles beneath matted fur. His other hand worked furiously, plunging the knife repeatedly into the gaping wound. Each thrust sent a spray of crimson into the air, painting the cave walls with a gruesome mural.
Suddenly, the ghostly projections that had guided Asher's movements vanished. The skill's active time had ended, leaving him vulnerable. Panic surged through him, but there was no time for hesitation.
The Earthhide bear, in its death throes, went berserk. It slammed its massive body against the cave walls, the impacts sending shockwaves through Asher's battered frame. Jagged stone edges tore at his skin, but he refused to let go. His world became a chaotic blur of motion, pain, and the overwhelming stench of blood and fear.
In a final, desperate gambit, the bear charged headlong into the cave wall. Asher saw it coming a split second too late. The impact was devastating. His head cracked against unyielding stone, and for a moment, everything went white.
Asher's grip loosened, his body limp as he tumbled from the bear's back. He splashed into a pool of water, the sudden cold a shock to his system. As he struggled to focus, his hand instinctively went to his head. When he pulled it away, his fingers were slick with blood – his own this time.
Darkness crept in at the edges of his vision. Asher fought against the encroaching unconsciousness, but it was a battle he couldn't win. The last thing he saw was his own blood mixing with the water, creating swirling patterns that seemed to dance before his fading sight.
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In the depths of oblivion, a tiny flame flickered to life. It wavered, threatened by the overwhelming darkness that pressed in from all sides. For a moment, it seemed as though it would be snuffed out entirely. And then it did.
Silence reigned supreme. Out of nowhere, an emote of light appeared it floated around a bit before it fell on the ashes left behind by the fire.
‘Not yet. Not AGAIN‘
Blazed the fire, once again from the ashes like a phoenix undergoing its rebirth. The flickering whispers turned to raging roars of defiance full of unrelenting wrath that threatened to consume the darkness itself. The inferno was awoken once again caged by the darkness surrounding it, the only thing preventing it from consuming the world all around it.
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A deafening crack of thunder jolted Asher back to consciousness. He awoke with a gasp, his body drenched in a mixture of sweat, grime, and water. The cave around him came into focus slowly, illuminated by intermittent flashes of lightning from the storm outside.
As his senses returned, Asher became acutely aware of his surroundings. He found himself partially submerged in a pool of water, the liquid tinged pink with blood – both his and the beast's. The massive carcass of the Earthhide bear lay nearby, its once-fearsome visage now a mangled ruin.
Every muscle in Asher's body screamed in protest as he tried to move. He felt as though he'd been filled with lead, each limb impossibly heavy. A strange tingling sensation coursed through him, most intensely where his wounds were.
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With trembling fingers, Asher reached up to probe his head, expecting to find a gaping wound. To his astonishment, he encountered only a partially healed gash, no longer bleeding. Confusion mingled with relief as he tried to make sense of his unexpectedly improved condition.
The tingling intensified as he submerged himself further in the pool, particularly around his injuries. It felt like millions of tiny, industrious ants were crawling over his skin, knitting flesh back together. His mind raced, trying to piece together an explanation for this phenomenon.
A flash of lightning illuminated the cave, revealing a small crack in the wall where the bear had made its final, desperate charge. From this fissure, a trickle of clear liquid dripped steadily into the pool. Asher's eyes widened as realization dawned.
With his last remaining charge of "Eyes of Odin," Asher focused on the spring:
[ Minor spring of healing (uncommon): A spring formed naturally in ground rich in stable pneuma. It is small in size and a rarely formed natural treasure of mountains. When natural spring water interacts with specific pneuma-rich veins and organic pneuma deep in the earth this spring is created. Over time intelligent humanoid beings have studied the combinations and replicated this formula to artificially create healing potions via alchemy for commercial usage. The first ever documented artificially created spring of healing was by the church of Light, dubbed by them as the ‘spring of life’.
Current status: the collected pool water is contaminated causing its effect to decrease. Please clear the pool and remove the source of contamination. ]
A weak, disbelieving laugh escaped Asher's lips. "Hehe... guess even I can be lucky at times," he muttered, his voice hoarse and barely audible over the storm outside.
Exhaustion washed over him once more, and Asher allowed himself to sink back into the healing waters. He closed his eyes, letting the spring work its magic on his battered body.
The ferocity of the storm outside grew, and another thunderclap startled Asher awake. He took stock of his condition, noticing that most of his bleeding had stopped. Gingerly, he extracted himself from the pool, using the bear's carcass as support.
Leaning against the dead beast, Asher checked his status, curious to see what impact this ordeal had on him:
[ Physical limits surpassed Endurance +1 ]
[ Due to repeated bleeding and recovery body hemorrhage resistance has increased. Vitality +1 ]
Asher also checked his current status window.
[ Name: Asher Whitlock ]
[ Race: Human ] [ unawakened ]
[ Skills: Beginner Sword Mastery L.v 1, Beginner Knife Mastery L.v 2, Beginner Close-Combat Mastery L.v 2, Eyes of Odin (Sealed) ]
[ Bloodline Skills: The Heart of Chronos (Sealed)
[ Quests: 3 active quests ]
[ Titles: Seeded Trainee *, Conqueror of the Mighty, Beast Slayer I. ]
He nodded grimly, acknowledging the hard-earned improvements. His status window appeared largely unchanged, though the increases to his physical attributes were a welcome sight.
Dehydration clawed at Asher's throat, his mouth dry as parchment. He eyed the bloodied pool water with distaste, knowing it was his only option. Steeling himself, he filled his empty bottle and took a large gulp.
The taste was revolting – iron-rich blood mixed with grit and who knew what else. Asher's body rebelled instantly, expelling the foul liquid in a violent heave. Wiping his mouth, he grimaced and tried again, this time forcing the liquid down before his senses could process it.
"Come on," he growled to himself, "You've made it this far. Don't let a little blood and mud stop you now."
Stumbling to the cave entrance, Asher surveyed the raging storm outside. The realization that he'd have to spend the night in wet clothes, without even the comfort of a fire, threatened to crush his spirit.
'The rain is not stopping,' he thought, a flicker of despair trying to take hold.
But as Asher dragged himself back into the cave, something within him refused to yield. Blood continued to seep from reopened wounds, his makeshift bandages soaked through. Yet, as he leaned against the cave wall, staring out into the tempest, a flame ignited in his heart.
It wasn't hope – hope had long since abandoned him. This was something rawer, more primal. A refusal to succumb, to roll over and die in this godforsaken place.
'Not yet, not at this place, not like this.'
The inner fire grew, consuming any thought of surrender. It whispered to him, urging him to survive by any means necessary – even if it meant tearing the heart from every beast on this cursed planet.
As if in response to this surge of defiance, the system chimed:
[ Application ‘Immortal’ Is running ]
[ Your wrath and defiance have shaped bloodlust inside you ]
[ Condition for skill creation fulfilled ]
[ A skill is being created ]
[ Skill ‘Bloodlust lv.1’( Passive ) obtained ]
Asher barely glanced at the notification. His focus had narrowed to a singular purpose: survival. With grim determination, he moved deeper into the cave, towards the Earthhide bear's carcass.
Drawing his knife once more, Asher began the gruesome task of skinning and butchering the massive beast. Each cut was precise, fueled by a mixture of necessity and pent-up frustration. As he worked, separating meat from bone, Asher poured all his anger, fear, and defiance into the task.
The cave echoed with the sounds of his labor – the squelch of flesh, the scrape of blade on bone, and Asher's own labored breathing. Outside, the storm raged on, but within the cave, a different kind of tempest was brewing. Asher worked tirelessly, driven by an inner fire that refused to be extinguished.
As he continued to butcher the bear, Asher's mind raced with plans for survival. He would use every part of this creature – its meat for sustenance, its hide for warmth and protection. Nothing would go to waste. Each slice of his knife was an act of defiance against the world that sought to break him.
In the dim light of the cave, surrounded by the fruits of his grim labor, Asher stood as a testament to human resilience. Bloodied, and battered, but unbroken, he faced the long night ahead with a newfound resolve. Whatever challenges awaited him, he would meet them head-on, fueled by the inextinguishable flame of his will to survive.