Astrid followed closely behind Damian, quietly trying to avoid making any noise. The space around the refinery was quiet, there were only faint sounds of machinery long dead adding to the unsettling atmosphere. Damian suddenly stopped and turned, his piercing gaze towards hers. “Here,” he said, pulling his compound bow from his shoulder and handing it to her along with a quiver of arrows. “You’re going to need this if you’re coming with me.” Astrid blinked, momentarily surprised, before taking the bow. She ran her fingers along the string, testing the tension. “You still practice every day, right?” Damian asked. Astrid smirked. “Am I still better at using the bow, you mean? Then yes. All the trophies back home are proof.” Damian rolled his eyes. “Okay, no need to rub it in. This is going to be similar to hunting with Uncle Ben and Dad. Follow my lead, and I don’t want to repeat myself—do not hesitate. Whatever we kill is not from this world.” The seriousness in his tone sent a shiver down her spine. She nodded, her smirk fading as she fell silent. Damian moved ahead, his sword drawn and a small shield strapped to his back. His movements were completely different then his usual self, his eyes had already adjusted to the dark. Astrid followed behind with her bow in hand, her eyes struggling slightly to adjust to the dim light. But this wasn’t her first time hunting in the dark. She steadied her breathing and focused, drawing on memories of countless nights in the woods with her family. “Stop,” Damian muttered, freezing mid-step. Astrid nearly bumped into him, her heart skipping a beat. “What? What’s wrong?” she whispered. “Get down,” Damian hissed, crouching low. “Before they see us.” “What is it? The military?” she asked, her voice barely audible. “No.” Damian’s voice was cold. “Worse—goblins.” Astrid’s stomach twisted as she peered over his shoulder. In the distance, three small, hunched figures moved erratically through the shadows, their glowing yellow eyes scanning the area. “Identify,” Damian muttered, his eyes narrowing as translucent text appeared in his vision. Goblin Scout – Lv 5 Goblin Scout – Lv 3 Goblin Scout – Lv 4 “There are three of them,” Damian whispered. “Astrid, aim for the short one in the middle. He’s the weakest. Don’t miss it. I’ll handle the other two.” Astrid swallowed hard, gripping the bow tightly. Her hands trembled as she knocked an arrow and drew the string back. She inhaled deeply, steadying herself the way she always had during hunting trips. “You can do this,” she murmured to herself, exhaling slowly as she released the arrow. The arrow flew through the air with a faint whistle, striking the goblin square in the head. It let out a guttural scream before collapsing to the ground. But Astrid’s brief moment of triumph was shattered as the remaining two goblins moved with startling speed, closing the distance in an instant. Her heart leaped into her throat as she fumbled to knock another arrow, her vision darkened as she closed her eyes in panic. Before she could react, Damian was on them. His sword cut through the air with deadly strength, slicing through the first goblin before slamming his shield into the second. The creature staggered back, hissing, but Damian didn’t hesitate. With a swift, brutal swing, the second goblin fell. The silence that followed was deafening. Astrid stared at the carnage, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps. Blood splattered on her clothes and the metallic smell made her stomach turn. She clenched her jaw, forcing herself not to throw up. Damian wiped his blade on the grass, his expression unreadable. “Good shot,” he said, smirking back at her, and kneeling beside the fallen goblins. Astrid watched in stunned silence as he began cutting into the creatures, pulling out small, glowing stones from their chests. The sight of him working so methodically, so unbothered, made her stomach turn again. “What…what are you doing?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Damian stood, holding one of the stones out to her. “Take it.” Astrid stared at the glowing gem in his hand, then back at him. “What do you want me to do with it?” “Eat it,” he said bluntly. Her eyes widened. “What?! Eat it? Are you crazy? That came out of that! There’s no way—” “Astrid,” Damian interrupted, his voice sharp. “You said you’d do whatever I told you. So eat it.” Her stomach churned as she looked at the stone again. “If I get sick, I’m going to come back and haunt you,” she muttered, snatching the stone from his hand. “You won’t,” Damian said, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips. “Now eat it.” With a deep breath , Astrid placed the stone in her mouth. The moment it touched her tongue, it dissolved, vanishing completely. She froze, her eyes wide as a strange warmth spread through her chest. “What…what just happened?” she stammered, clutching at her chest and the warm sensation. Damian grinned, his confidence almost smug. “That, little sister, was your first step to awakening.” Astrid’s eyes darted around as the warmth intensified, her body trembling followed by the familiar floating text. “Damian, what is this?” Her voice trembled looking at the floating text. “It’s the power that’s going to save your life,” he said, his voice calm. “Now let’s see what you’ve got