Chapter 10: Extermination

Cal stalked down the tunnel, the echo of his footsteps swallowed by the oppressive darkness. His shattered core, though replenished slightly by the bug’s essence, still leaked like a broken vessel. Consuming the core had given him a temporary reprieve, but it did nothing to mend the gaping hole in his essence. He didn’t know how to fix it—or even where to begin—but he knew one thing for certain: somewhere in this labyrinthine cave lay a nest teeming with essence-filled bugs, and a pool of water that radiated pure essence. He was going to find it, and when he did, he would consume every drop of essence he could.

All I have to do is survive, he reminded himself. If I can get out of this cave alive and powerful, then I can take the next step. And then the next.

He didn’t know if this new world contained anything other than endless caves, or if there was even a surface at all. But he refused to give up. Something deep within him knew that he had been changed by whatever—or whoever—had brought him here. The thought lingered like a shadow on the edge of his mind, but he pushed it away. He didn’t feel the fear or remorse he might have felt before he was thrust into this abyss. The darkness had dulled those emotions, replaced them with a cold, hard resolve.

But there was one thought he couldn’t shake.

There can’t be an afterlife here, It had been intelligent, in its own way, yet its essence hadn’t gone to any kind of heaven or afterlife. It had stayed here, trapped in its core. And then I ate it, stripped it bare, erased it from existence. If I let my core run out, that will happen to me. Nonexistence.

A shiver ran down his spine. Nothingness was the scariest thing to Cal.

Cal pressed forward through the tunnel, every step deliberate and cautious. The oppressive darkness clung to him like a shroud, the weight of the unknown pressing in from all sides. His Essence Sense extended outward, brushing against the stone walls, floor, and ceiling, feeling the faint ripples of essence in the very rock. But something else lingered in the edges of his perception—a faint, unnerving sensation that someone, or something, was watching him. He paused, scanning the darkness with his senses, but nothing stood out. Just the silent, empty tunnel stretching ahead.

It’s just paranoia, he told himself, forcing the tension from his shoulders. But the unease remained, a constant, nagging presence at the back of his mind. He couldn’t afford to be distracted, not now. Not when he was so close to his goal.

As he moved deeper into the cave, his Essence Sense caught the faint signature of a creature up ahead. The essence was familiar—bug-like, with that same hard, bone-like armor he had encountered before. Cal’s grip tightened around his homemade knife as he slowed his pace, his movements becoming fluid and controlled. The bug was just around the corner, its essence pulsing faintly in the darkness.

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Cal took a deep breath, silencing his thoughts, and then he moved. Swiftly and silently, he crept closer, staying low to the ground. The bug was oblivious to his presence, its focus entirely on whatever lay ahead. Cal took advantage of its distraction. In one swift motion, he lunged forward, driving his knife upward into the creature’s belly, piercing the soft undercarriage where the armor was weakest.

The bug let out a brief, pitiful screech before collapsing to the ground, its essence flickering and fading away. Cal quickly withdrew his knife, wiping the ichor off on the creature’s own shell. He knelt beside the bug, carefully extracting the core from its body. The core pulsed with a faint, dim light—less potent than the one he had consumed before, but still a valuable resource.

Cal studied the core in his hand, turning it over in the dim light. I should keep this one, he decided. There’s something I might be able to learn from it later. He examined the bug’s body, noting the durable nature of its bladder and other organs. An idea sparked in his mind. He needed to carry more cores and potentially other resources, and these materials could serve that purpose.

Working quickly, Cal used his knife to fashion small bags from the bug’s bladder and other organs. The process was crude, but effective. He tied the makeshift bags to his armor, securing them in place. Now, he had a way to carry cores and anything else he might find.

After securing the core in one of the bags, Cal continued down the tunnel. The sensation of being watched still nagged at him, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand. Then his Essence Sense picked up something troubling. Further down the tunnel, there was a larger, more concentrated presence of essence. He moved forward cautiously until he reached the edge of a ledge. Peering over, he sensed a gathering of bugs below—more than he had encountered before, their essence signatures mingling together into a dense, throbbing mass.

There’s too many of them to take head-on, Cal realized, backing away from the edge. He needed a plan, something to turn the odds in his favor. Stealth had worked so far, but a full assault would require more than just sneaking around.

He retreated a bit further into the tunnel, away from the ledge, and began to mentally prepare himself for the battle ahead. His core was still weak, still leaking, but the essence he had absorbed gave him a slight edge. He just needed to be smart about how he used it.

All I have to do is survive, he reminded himself once more, the mantra echoing in his mind. And if he was going to survive, he needed to take down this nest and claim its essence for his own.

With a final deep breath, Cal tightened his grip on his knife and began to strategize.

For one, I can sense better than they can. And while they're fast, they're not very flexible—I can work around them. I can stay low, move in the shadows, and strike before they even know I'm there. One at a time, I’ll pick them off. If I can avoid getting cornered or overwhelmed, I might be able to take them down without wasting too much Essence. They’re strong, but they’re not invincible.

Cal thought back to his early fights, a contemplative expression crossing his face.

But what about that Essence wave? It not only hurts me but also alerts them to where I am. Can they do it without hurting each other? If they all notice me at once and charge together, it might be impossible to fight them off. I wish I could hide my core from them.

He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling up.

If they swarm me, I’m done for. But... there has to be a way. If I could just figure out how to mask my core, how to make them think I’m not here... I’d have the upper hand.

Cal’s mind raced, searching for a solution. He knew he had to be cautious. One wrong move, and he’d be overwhelmed.

Cal's thoughts sharpened into a plan, a determined glint in his eye.

Okay, maybe I can't sneak around for long, but I don't need long, do I? With enough essence, my body heals, and I’m crazy strong. Sooo… the pool of water. It's so full of essence I can literally taste it right now, and I’m nowhere near it, or at least not close enough to sense it. But if I can make it there without dying, I can consume the essence and kill any bug in my way.

The idea of that pool was like a beacon in his mind, a promise of power and survival. Cal knew that reaching it was his best shot. If he could just get there, he’d be able to heal, to replenish his core, and to fight off anything that dared to stand between him and his escape.

He took a deep breath, feeling the faint pulse of essence within him.

Alright, let's do this. No more hesitation. I just need to make it to that pool. One step at a time.