Kael moved carefully through the dense forest, his steps silent as he navigated the terrain. With the time he spent in this forest increasing Kael was equally increasingly sharpening his instincts—he had learned when to move when to pause, and how to listen for threats.

  As he weaved between the massive roots of towering trees, a sound reached his ears. It was low, guttural, an odd mix between a growl and a clicking noise, it was difficult to describe. He immediately slowed, muscles tensing as he crouched behind a thick bush. Peering through the foliage, he spotted a single Gloomkin standing near a tree, a fresh kill at its feet—a hare, its fur matted with blood. The creature shifted slightly as it emitted the strange noise, staring at nothing in particular.

  Kael frowned. He had never seen this behavior before. It wasn’t eating the hare, nor was it moving. Was it trying to call for others? He glanced around, scanning the area for any sign of movement, but nothing else stirred. If this was some sort of call for its kin, it wasn’t a particularly effective one—any other predator could be drawn to the kill just as easily as its kin. Still, it was an opportunity, given how nothing was coming or hearing it yet meant however it was calling for wasn't that close, or hopefully couldn't hear it.

  Kael had kept working on refining his essence manipulation, and this lone Gloomkin was the perfect test subject. He had made significant progress that morning, finally managing to draw on a thicker tendril of essence from his core. It wasn’t as large as he eventually wanted it to be, but it was a step up from the weak trickle he had used. Now, he could channel enough to enhance his arms properly, much more than before, making each strike faster and stronger.

  But he also needed to practice with this new greater flow more, as currently, it was straining him mentally to split the stream just in two, while he could do three before with the smaller one. Kael had come to the conclusion, that as the flow of essence increased it required greater and greater will and effort to direct and manipulate it. He knew that having already gotten used to doing this with a smaller flow, coupled with the jump not being that high. It was just a matter of a few attempts and getting used to it before he could move on to enhance all his limbs.

  He took a steady breath, closing his eyes briefly as he turned his focus inward. The familiar space of his core greeted him—an endless void, with the glowing blue mass of his essence pulsing at its center. Tendrils of varying sizes extended from it, reaching into the unseen depths of his being. He focused on one—not the smallest tendril like usual, but one that had the same thickness as a chunky fountain pen. With a practiced effort of will he grasped the tendril mentally and guided it outward into his body, from there splitting it into two streams one for each arm.

  Ten seconds. That was all it took now, much faster than earlier this morning. Kael opened his eyes, flexing his fingers. The strength in his grip had increased noticeably, the sensation akin to the pump after a good bicep and grip-strength training session. He rolled his shoulders, feeling the reinforcement settle into his muscles. Then Kael stepped out from his hiding place.

  The Gloomkin’s reaction was immediate. The guttural noise it had been making ceased instantly as its hollow black eyes locked onto him. For a moment, it remained still, almost unnaturally so. It was always hard to tell where these creatures were looking with those solid black pits for eyes, but Kael could almost swear its gaze was locked on his. Then, slowly, it tilted its head, its thin lips curling into a grotesque grin while showing its yellow sharp teeth.

  Kael stopped in his tracks. A cold prickle ran down his spine. That was not a normal reaction. Before he could process the unease creeping up his neck, the forest erupted around him.

  Six Gloomkin burst from their hiding spots some emerging from behind trees others roots, and bushes. They had been waiting, using the terrain to their advantage. Kael’s eyes flickered between them, his mind racing. It was an ambush. A coordinated ambush.

  “How the f—” He had no time to finish the sentence before they charged.

  Kael moved on instinct, ducking low as the first spear thrust passed just over his shoulder, aiming for his throat. He pivoted, slashing upward with his antler blade, catching the attacker across the chest. The Gloomkin screeched, staggering back, but another was already on him. A jagged stone axe swung toward his ribs—Kael twisted, barely avoiding the deadly arc, getting a cut instead. He retaliated, stepping into the attack and driving his reinforced fist into the creature’s gut. The impact sent it sprawling, but there was no time to follow up. Another was already lunging at him.

  He needed space.

  Kael kicked off the ground, pushing himself backward, but the Gloomkin didn’t let up. They pressed in, forcing him to stay on the defensive. The realization sent a thrill of unease through him. These things weren’t just blindly attacking—they were working together. Driving him where they wanted him, like they did to the hare they hunted. This beyond anything pissed him off, Kael detested being manipulated, no matter who it was that tried.

  Then came the arrow. A crude shaft of wood and sinew, flying then embedding itself in the dirt near his foot. Kael’s head snapped toward the source—one of the Gloomkin had a bow. Like all their weapons a terrible one, judging by the poor aim, but that hardly mattered. If they kept him occupied long enough, even a lucky shot could prove fatal, most of these things were just one level lower than him.

  Kael gritted his teeth. The next strike came from the lone level 5 Gloomkin it was larger than the others, but not by much, and its jagged weapon held high as it attacked. Kael reacted quickly, reinforcing his arms further with essence, and met the downward swing with his own blade, chipping bits off from both weapons. The impact jolted through his limbs, but his grip held firm. He pushed forward, slamming his shoulder into the creature and knocking it off balance before slicing across its exposed throat. Black blood sprayed across the ground as it collapsed with a gurgled choking sound.

  [ Experience Gained: +20 EXP ]

  One down.

  Kael wasted no time. He pivoted, catching the movement of another Gloomkin from the corner of his eye. It lunged, its stone knife glinting in the dim light. Kael sidestepped, grabbing its outstretched arm and twisting. The creature let out a shriek as its limb snapped at the elbow, and Kael silenced it with a swift stab to the chest.

  [ Experience Gained: +15 EXP ]

  A second arrow flew past his ear going through his hair instead. Kael cursed under his breath. The bow user was getting annoying. He needed to end this quickly before more of them arrived. His essence reserves were draining fast—faster than he wanted. Fighting this many opponents at once while maintaining enhancements was burning through his core at an alarming rate. Having an easier flow of essence into his body and then to his limbs was good, but it also meant that the essence flowed out of his core faster in larger quantities.

  Another two came at him at once, swinging wildly. Kael ducked beneath one attack, using the momentum to drive his blade up into the ribcage of the second. He wrenched the weapon free, letting the body drop before spinning on his heel and slamming his fist into the face of the remaining Gloomkin. The crunch of bone under reinforced knuckles was satisfying, but Kael didn’t stop—he followed up with a vicious stab to the throat with the stolen weapon, finishing the job. Kael had some combat experience with hand-to-hand, as well as with a knife, but these things made things easier by attacking in an uncoordinated, and at the same time coordinated fashion if that made sense.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  [ Experience Gained: +15 EXP x 2 ]

  Only two left now. The bow-user and another wielding a crude club. The club-wielder hesitated, glancing between Kael and the bodies of its fallen kin. It took a single step back—then another. Kael exhaled sharply. “Don’t even think about it.” The Gloomkin turned to run.

  Kael surged forward, shifting the essence flow to his legs as he did so. The speed boost let him close the distance in an amazing time. His blade flashed, carving deep into the creature’s back before it could take another step.

  [ Experience Gained: +15 EXP ]

  Only one left. The bow-wielding Gloomkin let out a panicked shriek and scrambled backward, fumbling for another arrow. Kael rolled his shoulders, breathing heavily. He was drained, his reserves dipping dangerously low. But he still had to finish this. The Gloomkin started to pull its bowstring back, its aim trembling. Kael moved first.

  Before it could lose the arrow, Kael closed the distance with a final burst of speed. He grabbed the creature’s wrist, twisting sharply and forcing the bow from its grasp. The Gloomkin hissed, baring its jagged teeth in a final act of defiance. Kael didn’t give it a chance. He drove his blade up beneath its chin, ending the fight.

  [ Experience Gained: +15 EXP ]

  Kael exhaled slowly, standing amidst the bodies, his heart still hammering in his chest. That had been too close he had nearly got himself killed. He shook the blood from his blade, already shifting the flow of essence to his legs. He had to move. This battle had made far too much noise, who knows if more were on the way, or had made other trap sites and were now having heard the noise running here. With one last glance at the carnage, Kael turned and sprinted south. He wasn’t safe yet.

  Kael’s breath came fast and heavy as he sprinted through the forest. His muscles burned from exertion, his core rapidly depleting from the extended use of Essence. He had pushed himself harder than ever before, sustaining reinforcement across his limbs for an entire skirmish—and now, the weight of that choice was settling into his bones. It didn’t matter right now. What mattered was putting distance between himself and the carnage he had just left behind.

  His legs, still enhanced, carried him swiftly across the uneven terrain. He weaved through the thick underbrush, vaulting over roots and ducking beneath low-hanging branches. He forced himself to keep moving, pushing southward, after making a good distance and confusing tracks he would head toward the river. Then following it up north, go home.

  But he hadn’t made it far before he noticed something.

  A faint rustling ahead. The snap of a twig. The subtle shift of movement against the foliage. Kael’s gut twisted. Another ambush.

  He barely had time to slow down before three more Gloomkin burst from the shadows, their crude weapons raised. These ones weren’t as coordinated as the last group. No careful baiting, no setup—just a rush of wild aggression.

  Kael gritted his teeth, his heart hammering in his chest. His Essence reserves were already scraping the bottom of his core. He could feel the fatigue setting in, a heaviness seeping into his limbs. He had enough left to fight—but only just.

  The first Gloomkin lunged, its stone knife aimed at his ribs. Kael sidestepped, but his body felt sluggish compared to before. His blade came up, meeting the creature’s wrist mid-strike, almost severing it. A gurgled screech filled the air as black blood spattered across Kael’s arm. He didn’t hesitate—he spun, driving his knee into its chest before finishing it with a stab to the neck.

  [ Experience Gained: +15 EXP ]

  Kael felt the level-up come and go, but at this very moment, other than giving him a stat boost it was unimportant. The second attacker was already upon him, swinging wildly with a jagged club. Kael barely managed to deflect the blow with his reinforced forearm, grunting at the impact and pain. He twisted his body, using the momentum to bring his blade upward, slicing deep into its shoulder. The Gloomkin shrieked dropping its club, holding its bleeding wound, then stumbling back. Kael surged forward, slashing again—this time across its throat. It collapsed, trying to keep the blood from spilling while it was choking.

  [ Experience Gained: +10 EXP ]

  Only one left.

  Kael turned to face the last Gloomkin, but it had stopped mid-charge. Its black eyes darted between him and its fallen kin, realization dawning in its feral mind. It took a hesitant step back—then another. It was going to run.

  Staring at it, Kael exhaled Sharpley. “Fine. Go.”

  He didn’t have the energy to chase it down, nor to spend on more unnecessary fighting. His Essence reserves were hanging by a thread—he could feel the near-emptiness inside his core, a yawning void that sent waves of exhaustion crawling through his limbs.

  The Gloomkin turned and bolted into the trees, its frantic chittering fading into the distance. Kael didn’t care. He staggered for a moment, then forced himself forward, going through the undergrowth as he passed. He was running on fumes now.

  With each step, the fatigue grew heavier. His reinforced legs carried him further, but he knew he was close to the limit. He could feel it—the growing emptiness in his core, the looming sensation of depletion. He didn’t know what would happen if he ran out completely, and he sure as hell didn’t want to find out.

  Not here. Not while still in enemy territory. With gritted teeth, he slowed his pace just enough to focus. Carefully, he willed the tendrils of Essence flowing through his legs to retract, pulling them back toward his core at a gradual pace. The process was slow—he had learned his lesson about cutting off the flow too quickly and dealing with the painful backlash. Right now that backlash, with the way his body was feeling. It just might make him pass out.

  Even with careful retraction, a dull ache settled into his limbs, like the feeling of lactic acid buildup after overexertion. His breath grew shallow, his vision swimming at the edges, but he pushed through.

  Step by step, he ran—not with enhanced speed, but with whatever strength his natural body had left to offer, here he was glad he had leveled up, it made it a bit easier. Having decided he had made it an obstacle to track him with the way he had moved throughout the forest, he started heading to the river.

  By now the river wasn’t far.

  He could hear it before he saw it—the soft rush of flowing water, the gentle rippling of the current against the rocks. Relief flooded him as he broke through the treeline, emerging at the riverbank.

  For a moment, he simply stood there, hands on his knees, inhaling deep lungfuls of air. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, his body screaming at him to rest. But he wasn’t done yet. He needed to clean up first. With stiff, aching limbs, he stumbled forward and waded into the water. The river was as pleasantly warm as ever, a soothing contrast against his battered body. The blood—his and the Gloomkins’—washed away in swirling tendrils, disappearing into the current. He cupped water in his hands, splashing his face, letting the cool sensation clear some of the lingering fog in his mind. Taking the chance to drink some too.

  He stayed there for a few minutes, soaking his wounds, letting the exhaustion settle before forcing himself to move again. He couldn’t linger too long. Noticing as he did this that he scared off a raccoon-looking thing since he hadn't even looked if the area was clear, before entering.

  Shaking his head Kael climbed back onto the shore, shaking off the excess water before slipping back into the cover of the trees. He followed the river upstream, keeping to the shadows, his movements slower but deliberate. He checked over his shoulder every so often, making sure he wasn’t being followed. After a while, he saw familiar landmarks, like the spot where he usually cooked. Only when he was absolutely certain he was alone did he begin the final stretch home.

  The trek back to his treehouse took even longer than usual. Kael had forced himself to take a more convoluted path, deliberately weaving through thick brush and doubling back at certain points to throw off any potential trackers. Even in his exhausted state, he refused to lead anything back to his home. That was asking to be killed in your sleep.

  By the time he reached his treehouse, the last remnants of daylight were fading. The sky above was painted in hues of deep blue and faint gold, tiny patches of light filtering through the thick canopy.

  Kael climbed up the rope ladder with slow, deliberate movements. His limbs ached, his core felt hollow, but he had made it. He slumped against the wooden wall of the shelter, tilting his head back. The ceiling had small holes in it, letting the last bits of dusk light seep through. He watched the flickering glow, his breathing finally beginning to steady.

  “That was too close…” he muttered to himself.

  His mind replayed the ambush, the way the Gloomkin had set a trap specifically for him. They had learned from his hunting patterns. They had figured out how to lure him in and like an idiot, he had fallen for it. He rubbed a hand over his face.

  If they had done it once… they could do it again. He needed to be more careful not to underestimate them. He had gotten lucky today, but next time that might not be true, what if there were more of them then? He couldn’t afford another close call like this. Kael exhaled, closing his eyes, he was dead tired and now just wanted to rest. He could also feel how close his core was to being completely empty.