Three years.
Three years since Kael had last seen another human face, three years since the bloody encounter at the foot of the ancient, root-choked hollow. Three years of solitude, of relentless training, and of unwavering focus on the goals he had set for himself in the quiet aftermath of that terrifying day.
The boy who had stumbled out of the deeply shadowed woods, shaken and resolved, was gone. In his place stood a youth of eleven, though he looked older, his frame lean and wiry, corded with the hard-earned muscle of a survivor. His once-tattered rags were long gone, replaced by well-stitched, durable clothing crafted from the hides of countless deer and other forest creatures – a dark leather tunic, reinforced leggings, and supple boots that made almost no sound on the forest floor. A faint tracery of old scars, pale lines against his sun-darkened skin, hinted at past mistakes and hard-won lessons. His eyes, the same intelligent, observant eyes, now held a new depth, a keen, almost predatory focus, and a profound, unchildlike weariness.
Kael moved through the dense forest with an easy, practiced grace that belied his age. His 'Stealth' was now a second skin, his 'Silent Step' an unconscious extension of his will. He carried a masterfully crafted Ironwood shortbow, its string a tightly braided strand of Direhorn Wolf sinew. The Sylphwing-fletched arrows in his quiver, also of his own making, were perfectly balanced, their flint heads lethally sharp. His old Crude Stone Hand Axe had long since been replaced by a heavier, more formidable weapon – a war axe with a head fashioned from a sharpened Direhorn Wolf horn, its haft a sturdy length of fire-hardened Ironwood.
His camp, once a simple A-frame hut, had transformed into a small, defensible homestead. The hut was larger now, its walls reinforced with clay and stone, its roof expertly thatched. A sturdy palisade of sharpened logs encircled the clearing, and a dedicated smokehouse stood beside a well-organized crafting area, complete with a rudimentary forge Kael had painstakingly built after discovering a small deposit of bog iron.
Corvus, the Alpha Crow, was a constant presence, his feathers glossier, his gaze even more intelligent. The transactional alliance had deepened into something akin to companionship. The crow often scouted ahead for Kael, warned him of dangers or opportunities, and in return, always received a share of any successful hunt. The rest of the flock still kept their distance, but Corvus was family, in a way.
Today, Kael was tracking a mature Cave Bear – Level 15, according to Corvus's excited caws and the massive prints it left in the soft earth. A dangerous quarry, but Kael was no longer the fragile boy he once was.
He found the bear near a rocky outcrop, digging for roots. Kael took his time, his 'Keen Mind' and enhanced WIS guiding his approach. He nocked an 'Improved Arrow' – a new type he could craft thanks to his advanced Bow Proficiency.
"Aimed Shot," he whispered, the System ability now a familiar comfort. He focused, the Sylphwing Quill tucked behind his ear seeming to steady his perception of the wind. He released.
The arrow flew with deadly precision, striking the bear in the vulnerable spot behind its shoulder, sinking deep. The bear roared in pain and fury, whirling around, but Kael was already nocking a second arrow. His reload speed was now formidable. Another 'Aimed Shot', this one finding the bear's eye.
The massive creature stumbled, roared again, then collapsed.
[System Notification: You have successfully hunted 1x Cave Bear (Adult) (Level 15) using 'Aimed Shot' (Critical Hit x2).]
[XP Gained: 350.]
[Congratulations! You have reached Level 19!]
[You have 5 unspent Attribute Points and 1 unspent Skill Point. Open Character Screen (Y/N)?]
Level 19. Kael allowed himself a grim smile. The XP requirements were much higher now, but so were the rewards from challenging prey. He had come a long way.
"Yes," he thought, opening the screen as he cautiously approached the fallen bear.
Name: Kael
Race: Human (Variant: Unknown)
Age: 11 cycles (Physical)
Status: Normal
Title: The Reborn (Adaptability significantly enhanced in high-stakes/solitary situations. Minor resistance to fear effects.)
Level: 19 (350/2800 XP to Level 20)
Attributes (Base):
Strength (STR): 18 (Previously 7 + 11 from levels)Agility (AGI): 18 (Previously 7 + 11 from levels)Constitution (CON): 18 (Previously 7 + 11 from levels)Intelligence (INT): 20 (Previously 10 + 10 from levels)Wisdom (WIS): 18 (Previously 8 + 10 from levels)Charisma (CHA): 6 (Previously 5 + 1 from level, little interaction to raise it)
Unspent Attribute Points: 12 (7 from previous levels + 5 new)
Unspent Skill Points: 14 (13 from previous levels + 1 new)
Notable Skills (Many F-Rank skills omitted for brevity):
Basic/Advanced Survival (Passive) (Rank B)Resilience (Passive) (Rank C)Keen Mind (Passive) (Rank B)Fire Starting (Active) (Rank C)Advanced Crafting (Active) (Rank B) (Evolved from Basic Crafting)Axe Proficiency (Passive) (Rank C) - 'Power Strike', 'Whirlwind (Basic)'Bow Proficiency (Passive) (Rank B) - 'Aimed Shot', 'Rapid Shot', 'Improved Arrows'Stealth (Passive) (Rank B) - 'Silent Step', 'Shadow Meld (Basic)'Trapping (Active) (Rank C)Tracking (Passive) (Rank C)Leatherworking (Active) (Rank C)Basic Herbalism (Active) (Rank D)Basic Metallurgy (Active) (Rank D)Two-Handed Weapon Proficiency (Club) (Passive) (Rank E)Air Attunement (Passive) (Rank F) (Slowly developed from Sylphwing Quill use)
Unspent Skill Points: 3
Kael quickly allocated his new attribute points, further bolstering his physical stats and his INT.
"Allocate 4 to STR, 4 to AGI, 4 to CON."
[STR: 22, AGI: 22, CON: 22. INT: 23, WIS: 20, CHA: 5]
He closed the screen. The bear was a massive haul – hide, meat, claws, teeth. It would take him hours to butcher and transport.
As he worked, his mind drifted to the 'Echoes of the Whisperwood' quest. For three years, he had focused on growing stronger, on mastering his environment. The memory of the desiccated spearman and the chilling power of the Effigy had been a constant motivator. He was far more capable now, his skills honed, his understanding of the forest profound.
The Attunement Shard still lay hidden in his hut, its purpose a mystery. The Sylphwing Quill was a constant companion, its subtle magic now a familiar extension of his senses, leading to his fledgling 'Air Attunement' skill.
He was older, stronger, wiser in the ways of the wild. The fear that had once crippled him was now a familiar tool, a whetstone for his focus. The solitude had etched itself into his soul, making him self-reliant to an extreme, but also leaving him with an unacknowledged ache for connection, a ghost of the life he'd lost.
Perhaps, he thought, as he expertly skinned the massive bear, perhaps it was time. Time to revisit the deepening shadows, the ancient roots, and the forgotten streams. Time to see if he was finally ready to face the Silent Watchers and uncover the secrets of the Whisperwood.