life in the wilderness...again (chapter 19)

Confronted by the mutated stag, Ted muttered a curse under his breath, "shit." The creature exhaled sharply, a small puff of smoke escaping its nostrils before it abruptly vanished. In response, Ted also became invisible and intangible. The stag reappeared in confusion, and a knife materialized beside it. Ted, too, materialized, thrusting the knife into the stag's neck. However, it got stuck, prompting the creature to jump in a startled motion.

Ted swiftly backed away, but the teleporting stag closed the distance with astonishing speed. Attempting to go invisible again proved futile as the stag sent him flying backward with its giant antlers, piercing his stomach. Before it could inflict more harm, a sound blast hit the stag, staggering it. Seizing the opportunity, the wounded Ted leaped forward, driving the knife deeper. The mutated stag finally succumbed, and Ted used Nature's Embrace to heal his wounds.

"Fuck, why is there a blood stag here? This is the second one I've encountered since last month," Ted muttered, placing the stag into his empty pouch. Walking away as the sun dipped below the horizon, he pondered the mysterious appearance of such creatures.

- Scene Change -

Facing a decaying large tree, Ted crouched down, lifting a makeshift wood platform covered with leaves to disguise the entrance to a hole. Jumping down, he entered a spacious underground chamber, the size of two rooms combined. A fire pit illuminated the area beneath the tree, its smoke rising through the trunk. In addition to the pit, there was a substantial wooden table, a makeshift bed crafted from the hide of a blood stag, and various items, including the creature's antlers.

As Ted closed the hole, the fire pit illuminated the chamber, and suddenly, the sound of thunder echoed. Ted looked up, sensing something amiss. He shrugged, acknowledging, "There is nothing I can do about that, not with my sea of consciousness still recovering," summoning his floating screen.

[ Name: Ted ]

[ Spiritual-Force: -14.90/4.41 (Fractured, spiritual energy is required to fix the fracture) ]

[ Current-Runes: 

Invisibility: Expand ]

Pyroblast: Expand ]

Nature's Embrace: Expand ]

Sonic Blast: Expand ]

Interstice: Expand ]

Riftgate: Expand ]

Spectral-Arrow: Expand ]

Morph: Expand ]

Ward: Expand]

Fortuna's Favor: Expand ]

True-Sight(lower): Expand ]

Crate-Of-Mending(lower): Expand ]

Blood-Control(lowest): Expand ]

Ovum Vitalis(Low): Expand ]

Sharpness(Lower): Expand ]

"I am close, i am close" he chanted to himself as he sat in lotus position, "i have most of my time meditating, i might as well as be a hermit," he chuckled to himself as he took a deep breath, "its also calming me down and leaving me without stress or frustration so, guess meditation is great for isolation".

Sitting in the cave, Ted meticulously sharpened the antlers of the blood stag. He expertly slimmed and smoothed the stems, making them easier to hold. This ritual became his pastime while waiting for the meat on the fire pit to cook. The aroma of roasting meat filled the cave, though Ted found it lacking in seasoning. "I'll make sure to pack some spices the next time I come here," he mused, dissatisfied but focused on his task.

Turning his attention to the flurry tentacle, Ted twisted two of them together, creating a makeshift robe. He used a sturdy piece of stitch as a base to fashion a handle, all the while the distant thunder continued. "A nice extending rune should make this thing deadly," he thought with a smile as he stowed it in his pouch.

[ Some time later ]

Hidden among the shadows of the trees, Ted gripped his spectral bow, observing a peculiar creature in the clearing. Made of twisting roots, it resembled a snake, with red leaves forming a cloud on its head. Other roots sprouted mouths, and it currently feasted on a strange-looking rabbit. "Alright, snake thing, let's see what you can give me," Ted murmured, aiming his spectral arrow at the creature's head.

Releasing the arrow, it pierced through the creature's head, only for it to regenerate instantly. "Well, shit," Ted cursed, retrieving his staff as the creature turned toward him, emitting a roar without vocal cords. He deftly evaded a barrage of snake-like tentacles and responded with a Pyroblast. The wood creature burned, and Ted grinned, "Thank God for fire!"

He continued the assault, the fiery shots forcing the creature to retreat. Despite its regenerative abilities, the fire inflicted more damage. The creature retaliated by launching smaller vines from its mouths, prompting Ted to draw his knife and slice them off. Undeterred, he relentlessly bombarded the creature with Pyroblasts, watching the durability of his staff drop to 65/100. Eventually, the creature succumbed, leaving behind only a few roots. "Talk about a hydra, I can think of a few uses for it," Ted muttered, salvaging what he could from the remains.