The stag’s glowing yellow eyes locked onto Damian, its horn sparking with faint blue energy. Damian tightened his grip on the bow, his heart pounding. The beast was far more dangerous than he’d anticipated.

The stag pawed at the ground, lowering its head. Sparks danced along its sharp horn, growing brighter with every second. Damian could feel the energy in the air, the hairs on his arms standing on end.

“Not good,” he muttered, nocking another arrow.

The stag charged, lightning crackling around it as it barreled toward him. Damian fired, the arrow slicing through the air and embedding itself deep into the stag’s chest. The beast roared in pain but didn’t slow down.

Damian dove to the side, rolling to avoid the charge. He barely avoided being impaled by the glowing horn, but as he rose to his feet, the stag unleashed its power. A bolt of blue lightning erupted from its horn, arcing toward him.

The lightning struck Damian square in the chest, sending him flying backward. He hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of him as pain seared through his body. His vision blurred, and his limbs felt heavy.

Struggling to stand, Damian glanced at his hands. His shirt was scorched, his skin blistered from the lightning’s impact. Blood trickled from a gash on his forehead, and his legs trembled beneath him.

“This… isn’t how it ends,” he growled, forcing himself upright.

The stag roared again, its horn glowing brighter as it prepared another attack. Damian gritted his teeth, drawing the hunting knife from his belt. He was out of arrows and nearly out of strength, but he refused to give up.

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As the stag charged, Damian feinted to the side, narrowly avoiding another blast of electricity. The beast’s momentum carried it past him, giving Damian a brief opening. He lunged forward, plunging the knife into the stag’s neck with every ounce of strength he had left.

The creature thrashed, its glowing eyes wide with rage and pain. Damian held on, driving the blade deeper until he felt the stag’s struggles weaken. With a final bellow, the beast collapsed, its body twitching as the last of the electricity crackled out.

Damian fell to his knees, his body trembling. Blood dripped from his wounds, and every breath felt like a struggle. He could barely move, but he knew he had to act fast.

“Skill… heal,” he gasped, activating the ability he’d learned earlier.

A soft green glow enveloped him, soothing the pain and mending his injuries. The gash on his forehead closed, the burns on his chest faded, and his strength slowly returned. Damian took a deep breath, relief washing over him.

He turned to the stag’s massive corpse, still unable to believe he’d survived. Drawing his knife again, he began cutting into its chest, searching for the gem he knew would be there.

To his surprise, he found not one but two gemstones. One glowed faintly similar to the others, the second faintly glowing with a blue hue .

“He inspected the second gemstone, which shimmered a more familiar blue hue.

Without hesitation, Damian absorbed both. The first stone sent a surge of energy through him, and he felt his body grow stronger, his level increasing twice in rapid succession.

But it was the second stone that truly surprised him. As he absorbed its energy, knowledge flooded his mind.

Skill Learned: Blue Lightning

Mana Cost: 5 points

Description: Unleash a bolt of blue lightning at your target, dealing heavy damage and stunning enemies.

Damian stared at his hands, feeling the crackle of energy coursing through his veins. He clenched his fist, watching faint blue sparks dance along his fingertips.

“I can use this…” he whispered, a mix of awe and exhaustion in his voice.

His legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground. The adrenaline faded, leaving him completely drained. But for the first time in days, Damian felt a glimmer of hope. He had survived. He had grown stronger.

As his vision darkened and he drifted into unconsciousness, a faint smile tugged at his lips.

For now, the fight is over.