Extract from the -{ Tome of the ‘Forgotten One’ }- Divine scripture of the Church of the ‘Forgotten One’.
"As the moon waxes and wanes, so too does my vigilance over the souls adrift in the ever-changing currents of existence. Trust in my guidance, and find serenity in the depths of Evernight." (The Revelation of Evernight 1:5)
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The cave's oppressive silence was broken only by the soft lapping of water against stone and Asher's measured breaths. His fingers traced the edges of an invisible interface, manipulating the system he had come to rely on. After weeks of trial and error, he had found a new feature - the ability to view detailed status windows for his blood-contracted beasts.
[ Blood Beast contract:
* Mistweaver Wyrmling ‘Jormungandr’.
* Shadow-Coil Ink Kraken ‘Inkara’. ]
With a thought, Asher summoned the information for Jormu:
[ Blood beast - Mistweaver Wyrmling ‘Jormungandr’- ]
[ Name: Jormungandr ]
[ Race: Mistweaver Wyrmling ] [ semi-awakened ]
[ Bloodline: Rare grade ]
[ Traits: Mischievous, Quick learner, Prideful, Greedy, Loyal ]
[ Bloodline beast contract: Asher Whitlock ]
The words hung in the air, shimmering with an otherworldly light. Asher's brow furrowed as he absorbed the information, his mind racing to understand the implications. He then called forth Inkara's status:
[ Blood beast - Shadow-Coil Ink Kraken ‘Inkara’- ]
[ Name: Inkara ]
[ Race: Shadow-Coil Ink Kraken ] [ semi-awakened ]
[ Bloodline: Rare grade ]
[ Traits: Gluttonus, Slothfull, Tanky, Dull, Loyal ]
[ Bloodline beast contract: Asher Whitlock ]
The contrasting traits of his companions brought a wry smile to Asher's face. He could see how these characteristics manifested in their daily interactions - Jormu's quick, mischievous movements and Inkara's slow, but powerful presence.
But it was the "semi-awakened" status that truly piqued his curiosity. As if sensing his confusion, the system provided additional information:
[ Semi-Awakening: Beasts born with rare or higher-grade bloodlines possess innate mystical powers, typically reserved for fully awakened creatures. These powers, while not as potent as those of fully awakened beasts, are undeniably magical. Creatures with such esteemed bloodlines are inherently attuned to the pneuma in their surroundings, instinctively mastering its utilization.
Unlike their lower-grade counterparts, who must undergo rigorous trials to achieve awakening, these elite beasts automatically awaken upon reaching adulthood. This natural advantage makes them formidable from birth, with their power only growing as they mature. ]
Asher's mind reeled with the implications. His companions, still in their infancy, already possessed powers that most creatures could only dream of attaining. What would they become when they reached full maturity?
The cave suddenly felt smaller, the weight of potential pressing in from all sides. Asher shook his head, forcing himself to focus on the present. There were more immediate concerns to address.
For days, they had been exploring new areas, searching for natural treasures. While they hadn't stumbled upon anything extraordinary, their efforts hadn't been entirely fruitless. Asher's pack now contained an assortment of useful items:
[ Sunburst Berries ( Uncommon ): Small, golden berries that shimmer under sunlight, exuding a warm, inviting aroma. Rich in nutrients and capable of restoring stamina quickly. Consuming these berries can also slightly boost one's natural healing process. ]
Stolen story; please report.
[ Frostbite Fruits ( Uncommon ): Pale blue fruits with a frosted exterior, exuding a cool, refreshing scent. Consuming these fruits can reduce body temperature and provide temporary resistance to heat. Also known to have minor pain-relieving effects. ]
[ Glowbulb Mushroom ( Uncommon ): A bulbous mushroom with a bioluminescent cap, which emits a bright, steady glow in the dark after absorbing sunlight. Provides natural illumination in dark environments, making it an excellent tool for cave exploration. The light it emits can last for several hours before needing to be "recharged" by sunlight. ]
The Glowbulb Mushroom, in particular, had caught Asher's attention. Its soft, pulsating light seemed to hold the promise of illuminating the darkest corners of the cave where he had first discovered Jormu and Inkara. There might be more valuable items hidden in those depths, and even if not, it would be an opportunity for his companions to visit their parents' final resting place.
With this thought in mind, Asher led his companions back to the site of the leviathan corpses. The massive bodies of the Void Kraken and the Azure Snake loomed before them, unchanged by the passage of time. No sign of decay marred their colossal forms, as if death itself had been frozen in this desolate place.
The death zone surrounding the corpses pulsed with a palpable, oppressive energy. Asher felt it pressing against his skin, an invisible force that seemed to sap the very life from the air. He glanced nervously at Jormu and Inkara, expecting signs of distress. To his surprise, they seemed utterly unfazed by the morbid environment.
Jormu's misty form weaved through the air with curiosity, while Inkara's tentacles reached out, probing the surroundings. Their ease in such a macabre setting was unsettling, but Asher pushed the thought aside. He had a task to focus on.
"Alright, you two," Asher said, his voice sounding unnaturally loud in the oppressive silence. "Go ahead and explore if you want. Meet me in the cave when you're done."
Both creatures nodded in understanding, their intelligence shining in their eyes. In a swirl of mist and shadow, they darted off to investigate their surroundings.
Asher turned his attention to the cave entrance, steeling himself for what lay ahead. The familiar opening loomed before him, somehow more ominous than he remembered. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the darkness.
The mist inside the cave seemed to have a life of its own, swirling and coiling around Asher's feet as he made his way deeper. He retrieved the Glowbulb Mushrooms from his pack, their soft luminescence pushing back the shadows and casting eerie, dancing patterns on the cave walls.
At the edge of the underground lake, Asher hesitated. Even with the added light, the water's depths remained an impenetrable black. With a grunt of determination, he tossed several mushrooms into the water, watching as their glow spread like ghostly tendrils through the murky depths.
Taking a deep breath, Asher submerged his head and opened his eyes. The sight that greeted him sent a chill down his spine. The lakebed was a graveyard of bones, countless skeletal remains scattered across the bottom. Each bone seemed to radiate an aura of decay and death, a tangible reminder of the powerful creatures that once roamed these waters.
Amidst the chaos of bones, several spots twinkled with an otherworldly light. Asher's heart raced with anticipation and a touch of fear. He surfaced, gulping in air, before diving back into the eerie underwater landscape.
Swimming towards the nearest twinkling spot, Asher felt a mixture of dread and excitement coursing through his veins. As he drew closer, the light resolved into a blood-red crystal, its fiery glow a stark contrast to the cold, dark water surrounding it.
Activating his identification skill, Asher's apprehension melted into a broad, toothy grin. The system's description appeared before his eyes:
[ Beast Pneuma Crystal -Tier 1(Fire Element) (Elite grade): Formed from the condensed life energy of a dying beast, this crystal holds a potent concentration of Pneuma. It serves as an excellent raw material for crafting weapons and enchantments. ]
Asher's gaze darted to the other twinkling spots scattered across the lakebed. His heart soared - he had struck gold!
For the next hour, Asher methodically collected crystals, humming a pleasant tune that seemed bizarrely out of place in this realm of death. Each crystal he gathered filled him with a sense of accomplishment, even though he knew little about their specific uses. The hunter's words echoed in his mind - beast crystals formed only in the bodies of strong monsters that had undergone at least their first awakening.
This thought brought a sudden realization, causing Asher to curse underwater, nearly choking in the process. He had forgotten to take the crystal from the Earthhide bear he had killed! The oversight stung, but there was nothing to be done about it now.
As Asher continued his underwater scavenging, a nagging question formed in his mind. Did humans follow similar patterns? The mysteries of this world seemed endless, and without the hunter's guidance, many questions remained unanswered.
The eerie glow of the mushrooms cast a dim, otherworldly light over the bone-strewn lakebed. Asher's eyes strained against the murky water, searching for the telltale glint of more crystals. Suddenly, a subtle movement in his peripheral vision set his instincts on edge. His grip tightened on his dagger, muscles tensing in preparation to ascend to the surface.
Without warning, a piercing shriek shattered the underwater stillness. Asher whipped his head towards the sound, his eyes widening in terror at the sight before him. A woman-shaped apparition hurtled towards him with unnatural speed, its spectral form distorting the water around it.
The temperature plummeted, the water embracing Asher in an icy grip. Mournful wails echoed through the depths, instilling a paralyzing dread that seemed to seep into his very bones. The wraith's flowing dress and tangled hair billowed around it, obscuring the watery depths as it closed in on Asher.
With unnaturally elongated claws outstretched, the wraith lunged, its chilling appendages mere inches from Asher's face. In that moment of frozen terror, a single thought blazed through Asher's mind:
'Fuck!'
But fate, it seemed, had other plans. The wraith froze mid-strike, its hollow eyes fixed on something unseen. A primal wail of terror escaped its spectral form as it attempted to retreat. Before Asher could process this sudden turn of events, he felt something gently coil around his body. For a heartbeat, fear gripped him anew, until a familiar hiss reached his ears - Jormu had come to his aid.
*Hissss*
The Mistweaver Wyrmling materialized as if summoned by Asher's distress, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly blue light. A vortex formed in the water before it, an irresistible force drawing the fleeing wraith closer. With a final, desperate cry, the spectral entity was sucked into Jormu's gaping maw, vanishing into the vortex. Its haunting echo faded into silence, leaving behind an eerie calm.
Asher watched in awe as the scene unfolded before him. Jormu had undergone a startling transformation in their brief separation. The wyrmling now stretched to at least six feet in length, its form more robust and imposing. What truly captivated Asher was the ghostly blue glow emanating from Jormu's scales, casting a shimmering aura around its serpentine body. Between its eyes, a new crystal had formed, pulsing with the same ethereal blue light.
As Jormu coiled protectively around him, Asher became acutely aware of the burning in his lungs. He kicked towards the surface, breaking through with a desperate gasp. The encounter had left him shaken, yet filled with wonder and a newfound respect for Jormu's mysterious abilities.
However, as Asher's eyes adjusted to the dim light of the cave, a new shock awaited him. Everything he had carefully placed on the cave floor - his belongings, the precious crystals he had painstakingly collected - had vanished without a trace.
The realization hit him like a physical blow. All his efforts, the risks he had taken, seemed to have been for naught. A cry of anguish escaped his lips, echoing off the cave walls:
"Not my shiny babies!!"
The pain in his voice was palpable, a mixture of frustration, disappointment, and disbelief. Asher stood at the edge of the underground lake, dripping and bewildered, the triumphant glow of his successful crystal hunt extinguished in an instant. The cave, which had moments ago been a treasure trove, now seemed to mock him with its emptiness.