An Old Encounter : 12

Two months had passed in the blink of an eye. In the heart of the dark forest, where towering trees conspired to shroud the land in eternal twilight, strange creatures with horns aglow grazed in a silent, surreal symphony. Their luminous horns flickered like distant stars as they feasted upon the violet-hued grasses. An unexpected sound echoed through the stillness, disrupting their peaceful reverie. Ears pricked, they raised their heads, surveying their surroundings, but finding nothing amiss, they soon returned to their meal.

Abruptly, a piercing arrow sliced through the tranquility, striking one of the creatures and sending the rest into panicked flight. The wounded creature, its life draining away, was left to face the cruel embrace of death alone. From the shadows emerged Oric, the hunter responsible for this act, his heart heavy with remorse. As he knelt beside the dying animal, he whispered an apology, his knife, a creation forged from the teeth of a hellish hound, ending its suffering as its radiant horns dimmed. "Since I lost my power, hunting has become increasingly difficult," he mused.

Carrying the lifeless creature back to his cave, Oric prepared to salvage it for sustenance. However, as he gutted the animal, a glint of light caught his eye. Nestled within the heart of the creature, he discovered a shimmering shard, its iridescence dancing with a kaleidoscope of colors. "Hmm, this radiates an incredible amount of energy," Oric mused, intrigued. Curiosity piqued, he stored the shard in a makeshift pouch.

Oric soon noticed a second shard concealed within the creature's brain. As he pondered the nature of these enigmatic objects, he realized that they emitted potent energies. "It seems these shards have unique properties, and their effects depend on the animal from which they're obtained," he deduced. Completing his meal, Oric turned his attention to the two shards.

Contemplating their potential, he decided to allocate the first shard, from the brain, as the 'senser shard,' while the second, from the heart, was dubbed the 'energy shard.' His experimentation began. Activating the senser shard, Oric initiated his newfound abilities, only to be met with excruciating pain. Desperate to quell the agony, he quaffed from the illuminated pond in his cave, feeling the pain subside and the world around him come to life with vibrant elemental forces.

Oric then dared to consume the energy shard. As its power surged into him, he discovered an awakened connection to the elements. "Hmm, one shard enhances the ability, while the other grants permission to use it," he mused. "But there's a price: the more I utilize it, the weaker the elements and my body become, until the power vanishes."

After a period of rest, Oric ventured back into the forest. His quest led him to search for creatures with elemental energies, a necessity to fuel his newfound abilities. As he trekked through the forest's labyrinthine depths, he wondered where he might find more of these creatures.

A haunting cry echoed through the forest, drawing Oric's attention. He followed the sound and stumbled upon a gruesome sight—a grotesque monster, the same creature that had nearly claimed his life, lay in a pitiable state. Hovering over the creature was a radiant blue light, tending to its wounds. Oric prepared to release an arrow but halted at the pitiable sight before him. The monster appeared weak and helpless.

Upon closer inspection, Oric realized the truth—the grotesque monster was being tended to by a tiny, blue fairy-like creature. The creature was crying out in a language Oric could understand. The monster and the fairy seemed to communicate with an unspoken bond, as Oric observed the creature's cries and the fairy's gentle ministrations.

Oric hesitated. The monster tried to muster strength, but it was utterly feeble. It implored the fairy to flee, but the fairy's devotion to its injured friend remained steadfast. As Oric approached, the monster, in its last moments, asked Oric to accept its mana core as payment and protect the fairy. The creature dug its claws into its chest, letting blood flow, then removed its energy core. The fairy, aghast and in pain, begged Oric not to harm it.

Oric accepted the mana core, though with skepticism. "How can I trust that I won't harm her?" he inquired.

"You are still too weak to take a life, and doing so will only bring your own demise," the monster replied before passing away. Oric felt a momentary pang of confusion and uncertainty before leaving, his heart heavy.

As Oric continued his journey, he encountered a solitary creature, resembling a boar but with a massive black horn. It appeared wounded and stranded. Oric prepared to draw his bow, but the fairy-like creature interjected, suggesting they strengthen the weapon with a water magic spell. The enchanted arrow found its mark, separating the creature's head from its body.

Oric was impressed by the creature's contribution. "You're not just dead weight, fairy," he commended. But the creature corrected him, "I'm not a fairy, I'm an 800-year-old royal blooded nixie."

With the slain boar in tow, Oric returned to his cave. As they entered, the nixie marveled at the illuminated pond. "How do you possess this legendary pond?" she asked with a mix of awe and disbelief.

"Why shouldn't I have a healing pond?" Oric replied nonchalantly.

The nixie explained the pond's properties, how it could heal injuries and infuse mana but, if used excessively, could lead to overloading and over-healing, potentially proving fatal.

During their meal, Oric decided to break the silence. "So, what's your name?" he inquired.

"I'm just a nixie water spirit, nameless and forgotten," the nixie replied with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Okay, how about I give you a name, Nevata?" Oric suggested.

Nevata nodded, her ethereal form shimmering with approval. "From this day forth, you and I are bound," she declared, sealing their connection with a surge of magic. Blain, in that moment, witnessed a blue tattoo manifest on his wrist, and he could sense the water element more intimately than the others.

"Now, you can access the water element, but your strength with it depends on my power as a water spirit," Nevata explained.

Oric carried on with his tasks, seemingly nonchalant about the magical bond he'd just formed. 

Nevata, however, was more vocal about it. "You know, being bound to me is a significant deal," she mentioned, but Oric seemed unfazed.

Finally, she asked a question that captured Oric's attention. "So, do you have any goals or something you're trying to achieve?"

Oric paused and looked at her with a hint of curiosity. "Do you know how to leave this forest?" he inquired.

A smile graced Nevata's features. "Yes, I do. but its not gonna be easy"