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The cave was dark, and the fire had long since gone out. I blinked once, twice, trying to make sense of the blackness surrounding me. That was when I heard it, the faintest clink of bones.

My eyes snapped open, instinct kicking in faster than thought. I didn’t move. Not an inch. I lay there, muscles tense but perfectly still, listening. Another clink. Then a shuffle, followed by a low, guttural sound that sent a cold shiver down my spine.

Something’s here.

I stayed frozen, forcing my body to remain as calm as possible while my mind raced, trying to piece together the situation. The moss on the walls gave off a faint green glow, enough to allow my eyes to gradually adjust to the cave’s dim lighting. As my senses sharpened, I could hear more clearly now, the soft drag of something heavy scraping against the floor, followed by a hiss, deep and rattling, like a snake choking on rocks.

How many?

The noise had come from near the entrance. A glance at my bone line trap confirmed it had worked – though now, instead of giving me a warning, it had attracted attention. The clinking of bones was drawing something closer. Something that walked with heavy, deliberate steps, crushing the bones underfoot.

One monster, from the sound of it. At least for now.

I took a slow, measured breath, keeping my chest movements minimal. My body wanted to react, adrenaline urging me to bolt or fight, but I forced it down, allowing logic and instinct to take control instead. Slowly, my fingers found the grip of my makeshift swords, feeling the familiar cold of the bone blades beneath my palms. I clenched my fists around them, firm but not too tight. I couldn’t risk any sudden sounds.

Focus. Breathe. Stay still.

The creature drew nearer, its raspy breathing growing louder, echoing slightly off the cave walls. I could hear its claws dragging lightly across the stone, the sickening squelch of its steps. It was moving carefully now, cautiously.

Smart enough to investigate

Through the faint light of the moss, I finally caught a glimpse of it. A hulking figure, larger than the one I’d killed earlier, its head lowered as it sniffed the air. Its breath came in quick snorts like it was trying to pick up my scent. Its skin was the same leathery texture as the other, burned and rotting in places, but this one looked even worse - larger, stronger, and maybe more experienced. It seemed to move with a purpose like it knew something was off.

My heart thudded in my chest, but I controlled my breathing.

Don’t give it anything to work with. Stay perfectly still.

The monster’s head snapped to my side suddenly, and I tensed, every muscle ready to spring. But then I noticed its gaze, it wasn’t looking at me. It was staring at the fire pit. My eyes narrowed as I realized what it was doing. The fire had burnt out, but not completely it was warm, warmer than the rest of the cave. The creature paused there, its slitted pupils dilating as it examined the remains of the fire. I could almost hear its brain working, trying to make sense of the lingering warmth.

Heat Sensitive creature. It doesn’t see the heat signature. But it knows something was here or something’s out of place.

A hiss escaped its throat as it leaned closer to the fire pit, its claws flexing against the stone floor. Slowly, I allowed my body to adjust, relaxing my grip just enough to avoid any unnecessary tension in my muscles. The slightest wrong move could set this thing off, and I couldn’t afford that. Not yet.

I shifted my gaze, focusing entirely on the creature’s movements. It had noticed the carcass of its fallen kin. The grotesque body I had pushed into the far corner of the cave was visible in the dim light, and now the monster was making its way toward it. With each step, the bones beneath its feet clattered, adding to the oppressive sound of its heavy breathing.

One wrong move and it’s over. Stay still. Be patient.

I suppressed any urge to spring into action just yet.

It paused again, this time directly in front of the rotting corpse. I watched as it sniffed the air, then lowered its head to nudge the remains with its snout. A wet, guttural sound came from its throat, almost like a growl. The stench of decay seemed to agitate it, and I could see its muscles twitching, and tightening. It wasn't just a mindless beast. This one had intelligence. Maybe not much, but enough to recognize that something wasn’t right.

I calculated my options. I could attack now while it was distracted by the corpse. But I didn’t know how quickly it would react, or how much stronger it was compared to the first one I killed. One mistake, one misstep, and I could end up like the body lying in front of it.

No wait, it will come to me following the heat trail.

The monster stood still, looming over the dead body, as if contemplating what to do next. My heart hammered in my chest, my mind racing through every scenario. I needed to learn more about how these things were hunted.

Is it vision, sound, or smell? All three?

Its head whipped up again, its eyes scanning the area, and my stomach dropped. It knew something was off. I could tell by the way it moved, more alert, more cautious. Its snout turned in my direction, and I had to suppress every instinct to flinch. But then I noticed… it wasn’t looking directly at me. It was looking in the general area, but it wasn’t locking onto me.

It’s not fully sensing me…

I remembered the moss. The glowing moss was everywhere. If these creatures hunted by sight, the moss would blend in with my glowing weapons. If they used scent, the decay of the corpse might overpower my own. If they hunted by sound, the lingering noises of the fire pit and their own movement might be enough to cover me for now.

But then it took a step toward me. Slowly. Cautiously.

No time left. It’s getting too close.

It sniffed again, loud and deep, as it stepped over the fire pit, the bones under its feet scraping along the stone. Closer. It was right there, maybe a few feet away.

My muscles tensed, my breathing as steady as I could manage. I watched it with the eyes of a hunter, absorbing every detail of its body, how it moved, and how it reacted to the environment. If I could figure out its weaknesses, maybe I stood a chance.

It took another step, then stopped. The only sounds in the cave now were its hissing breaths and the faint crackle of the lingering embers from the fire.

It’s time.

With a slow, deliberate motion, I tightened my grip on the sword and waited for the right moment. One chance. That’s all I had. One clean strike.

Wait for it…

The monster lowered its head again, its dark, piercing eyes scanning the ground around the fire pit, just inches away from where I lay. My heart pounded in my chest, but my mind was calm.

Focus.

Every other thought, every worry about survival or escape, vanished. The only thing that remained was the creature in front of me and the quiet, deadly certainty that I had to act now.

fuu~

The moment stretched on, each second pulling taut like a string ready to snap. The creature’s jagged breaths filled the air, the faint glow of the moss casting eerie shadows across its leathery hide. I could feel the shift in the air as it moved, slow and deliberate, its hulking form creeping closer. It was almost on top of me now, mere inches separating us. One wrong move, one shift of its gaze, and it would see me.

I willed myself to stay perfectly still, heart hammering in my ears. I could feel the power surging inside me, the raw, untamed force of Exira building with each heartbeat. It responded to my will, to the rising tension inside me, as if waiting for the right moment to unleash its fury.

Now.

Everything snapped into place. My will hardened, and in that instant, I felt Exira surge from deep within me, flowing like a torrent of energy through every fiber of my being. The monster’s head jerked up, its nostrils flaring as it finally sensed me, eyes locking onto my position.

Graaaaww!

It opened its maw to shriek, but before it could move before it could so much as twitch, I slammed my will into it, driving Exira forward with all the force I could muster.

The monster froze, a violent shudder running through its body as my power locked it in place. Its limbs trembled, muscles spasming as it struggled to break free, but it was too late. It couldn’t move, couldn’t react.

fu!

In that same breath, my swords flared with the faint, purplish glow of Exira, the energy coating the bone blades as if they were extensions of my will.

I didn’t waste a second.

With a sharp exhale, I swung my first blade in a quick, decisive arc, the edge biting deep into the monster’s neck. The blade cleaved through the leathery hide and sinew with ease, cutting halfway through its throat. Blood sprayed, hot and thick, splattering across the cave floor, the creature’s guttural shriek catching in its half-severed windpipe.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

But I wasn’t done.

huu

In the next breath, I let go of the first sword, leaving it lodged in the creature’s neck as I gripped the second blade with both hands. My muscles coiled, ready to strike, and in one swift motion, I drove the sword upward, straight through the creature’s skull. The bone blade pierced through its thick hide and into its brain, sinking deep as the monster convulsed violently. Its shrieks grew weaker, more desperate, but I could feel the life draining out of it as the light faded from its eyes.

In a final, choking gasp, the creature’s massive body went limp. Its eyes, once filled with violent hunger, dulled and rolled back. Its limbs twitched once, twice, and then stilled.

For a heartbeat, everything was quiet.

The creature’s heavy, dead weight collapsed onto me, its bulk nearly pinning me to the ground. I grit my teeth, shoving its corpse sideways with all the strength I had left. The lifeless body hit the ground with a heavy thud, blood pooling beneath it, mingling with the dirt and ash of the cave floor.

I stood there for a moment, breath coming in ragged gasps, every muscle in my body trembling from the exertion. My eyes darted around the cave, Exira still coursing wildly through me, my senses heightened to the point of pain.

Every sound was amplified, the soft crackling of the bones in the fire pit, the lingering echoes of the creature’s final shrieks.

But there were no more footsteps. No other movements.

I stood, battle-ready, both swords now back in my hands as I scanned the entire cave, waiting for some another monster. My mind was still locked in that hunter’s focus, every part of me prepared for another fight, for another attack. The energy of Exira was still flaring, still burning hot in my veins, making it hard to think clearly beyond the instinct to fight.

The passage remained empty. No other monsters emerged.

Fuuuu

After several long minutes of nothing but silence, I finally let out a slow breath, the tension bleeding out of my body as I slumped back against the wall. My arms ached from the force of the blows, my legs weak from the adrenaline crash, but I was alive.

Alive.

The monster’s corpse lay in front of me, still and lifeless. Blood dripped from the blade I’d driven into its skull, pooling around the base of the hilt. I stared at it for a moment, my mind still trying to process the fact that I had survived.

I reached up, running a hand over my face, trying to wipe away the exhaustion that clung to me. My breathing was heavy, ragged, but at least I was still breathing. The cave was quiet now, the oppressive weight of the darkness surrounding me, but it no longer felt quite as suffocating.

“ Phew… that went well, I think I did a good job “

I glanced down at my hands, still gripping the bone blades, their faint purple glow slowly fading as the last remnants of Exira ebbed away. My thoughts began to clear, the heat of the battle dissipating, leaving behind only the cold realization of what I had just done.

I’m getting better at this.

I sat slumped against the wall, staring at the monster’s corpse. My hands were covered in blood, it's blood, not mine. And I killed it.

I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the exhaustion pulling at me, but I forced myself to stay awake. There was no time for rest, not yet. I couldn’t afford to be caught off guard again.

Before I could move, my vision blurred as a sudden wave of dizziness washed over me. I blinked, trying to shake off the fog that had suddenly clouded over my mind, but then it hit – a memory.

Not like the fragmented, disjointed pieces I had been struggling with before, but a sharp, vivid recall, as if I was living it all over again.

.

.

A young boy, no older than fifteen, stood panting heavily atop a boar-like creature, his small frame barely able to hold the weight of his sword. The beast lay dead beneath him, its blood staining the earth around them.

The boy was drenched in sweat and blood, his legs trembling as he tried to catch his breath. He was exhausted, his grip on the sword faltering as he leaned heavily on it to stay upright.

"Alex!" A stern voice called out, sharp as steel.

He jolted upright immediately, nearly stumbling as he tried to snap into attention. "Yes, Mom!" he responded, his voice shaky but quick.

Standing before him was not just his mom. Right now she is Artoria Drakesier, the head of House Drakesier, and the one the world calls THE ABSOLUTE.

Her reputation was fearsome, and even now, Alexis felt the weight of it in every step she took toward him. Arms crossed, her eyes cold and assessing, she gave him a look that seemed to pierce right through him.

“How was the battle?” she asked, her voice firm, her gaze unwavering. “What did you think you did wrong?”

Young Alexis swallowed hard, suddenly feeling very small under her scrutiny. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. “It was… my first time fighting a real monster,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “It wasn’t easy. The creature was strong, and my sword… it didn’t even pierce properly.”

Artoria’s expression didn’t soften. If anything, her gaze grew even colder, her lips pressing into a thin line. He quickly looked away, feeling the weight of her disappointment hanging in the air.

"Is that all you have to say?" she asked, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

“I didn’t know…” Alexis mumbled, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment, “…that Exira could paralyze monsters. I was only using it for reinforcement, to make myself stronger, and for offensive spells…”

Before he could finish, his mother cut him off, her voice cold and dismissive. “It's been over a year since you awakened Exira, hasn't it? You can cast fireballs with it now, correct?”

Excitement flickered briefly in Alexis’s eyes as he nodded eagerly, completely missing the cold look in her eyes or the way Aunt Nora, who stood nearby, subtly shook her head at him as if warning him to keep quiet.

“Yes, Mom! I can control fire now, and even telekinesis! Watch, the fire burns really hot! See this?” He gestured to the beast beneath him, pointing to the charred hide of the creature. “I burned this tusken boar all the way through!”

Artoria’s gaze remained hard, unreadable. “So, you know a little about Eixra, do you?” she said quietly, her voice laced with a cold detachment. She turned her head slightly toward Aunt Nora, who stood a few feet away, a concerned frown etched on her face.

"Artoria... Are you sure?" Aunt Nora's voice trembled slightly, clearly uneasy. "He's still learning—"

“I’ll tone it down. Five percent of its full strength, no more.” Artoria's voice was calm but firm as if her mind was already made up. “He needs to learn and now”

Alexis, oblivious to the tension between the two, felt a surge of excitement. His mother was going to show him something new! He grinned to himself, his exhaustion forgotten.

Finally, he thought. I’m going to learn more about EXIRA! Let’s see what I can…

Suddenly, his mind went blank. His thoughts cut off midstream, vanishing into a suffocating void. There was nothing. No sound. No sensation. Just an overwhelming emptiness, like he had fallen into a bottomless pit.

What… What was I thinking?

The blackness pressed in from all sides, suffocating, inescapable. It was as if everything he was, everything he had ever been, was being slowly stripped away. His dreams, his ambitions, his very sense of self,...gone, swallowed by the endless dark.

What’s happening?

He couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. His thoughts, his identity, were slipping away like water through his fingers. It was like he was trapped in a place where time had no meaning, where nothing existed except for the weight of this terrifying void.

No burdens here… no responsibilities…

For a moment, a sickening sense of relief washed over him. The crushing expectations, the relentless training, the constant pressure to live up to his family’s name – it was all gone. Here, in this emptiness, he didn’t have to be anyone. He didn’t have to try.

But something stirred within him. A spark of resistance. A flicker of power. The faintest pulse of Exira deep inside him, calling out to him, urging him to push back. To fight.

Why should I fight? Alexis thought dimly, the emptiness wrapping around him like a shroud. It’s easier to just… stay here.

But the power inside him wouldn’t be ignored. It grew stronger, pushing against the darkness, its force building until it threatened to tear him apart. He could feel it now, burning hot in his chest, like a wildfire raging out of control.

Responsibility…

The word echoed in his mind, cutting through the fog, stirring something deep inside him. Responsibility. The weight of it pressed down on him, the weight of his family’s name, the expectations he had tried so hard to live up to. But with it came strength. Purpose. The very thing that Exira thrived on.

Burden.

The word struck him like a blow. His mother’s voice echoed in his mind, her lessons, her expectations, the constant push to be better, to be stronger. To carry that burden.

And with that, the power surged.

The darkness shattered around him, breaking away like glass. Light flooded his vision, and in an instant, he was back in the training grounds. His knees buckled beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground, gasping for air as if he had just resurfaced from drowning.

“Hah… hah…” Alexis’s breath came in ragged gasps as he hunched over, clutching his knees for support. His entire body shook with the aftershock of what had just happened. The crushing emptiness, the void–it was gone, but the memory of it still clung to him like a shadow.

“Lexi!” Aunt Nora’s voice was sharp, filled with concern, but before she could reach him, his mother’s voice cut through the air.

“Stand up.”

Alexis, trembling and disoriented, forced himself to rise. His legs felt like lead, but he obeyed. His mother stood before him, her expression as cold and unreadable as ever.

But his mother didn’t ask if he was okay. She didn’t offer a word of comfort. Instead, she regarded him with the same stern, unyielding gaze as before.

“That,” she said coldly, “was Eixra. That was the power you’ve been playing with for over a year. Do you understand now? This is what you’ve been so eager to master.”

“Wasting its potential and powers all for just being fancy…look at the monster, sure you burned its side but how much damage did your Exira flames did”

With a Swift motion, his Mom skinned the hide of the corpse,” See the fire didn’t even reached deep all you did was give the monster burned scars, you imitated flames and thought it looked cool so it would do damage”

Alexis swallowed hard, still trying to catch his breath.

“Young Victor, your friend who you are trying to imitate, remember his source is flames is not imitation but INTENTS like our is EXIRA, I’m not saying your flames can not burn this monster to ashes. But that’s if only you know what flames are and how they ignite rather than just conjuring flames out of air”

His mind raced with the implications of what had just happened, the overwhelming sense of what Exira and Mom’s revelation. The raw, terrifying power of it.

“I… I didn’t know…” he managed to say, his voice barely a whisper.

“You didn’t understand,” Artoria corrected him, her tone sharp as a blade. “And now you do.”

Alexis’s legs threatened to give out beneath him again, but he held firm, gripping his sword for support. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but one thing was clear

Exira wasn’t just a tool, it wasn't just another power to be mastered.

It was something far more dangerous, and I swear I’ll have Mom proud of me.

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