Second encounter

As the first light of dawn reluctantly pierced through the twisted branches of the forest, an eerie and unnatural purple mist clung to the surroundings like a malevolent specter. The usual morning symphony of chirping birds and rustling leaves was replaced by an unsettling silence, broken only by the occasional creaking of unseen branches.

In the heart of this surreal landscape sat Adrian, in the same position as the night before, surrounded by an uncanny stillness. His expression, however, had transformed into one of deep frustration, etched on his face like a haunting apparition. 

Three peculiar sticks lay beside him, each harboring its own mysterious energy.

The purple mist seemed to thicken, obscuring the already twisted shapes of the gnarled trees. Shadows danced ominously, casting bizarre and elongated figures on the forest floor. The air itself felt heavy with an unspoken dread, as if the very essence of the forest held its breath in anticipation of some unseen malevolence.

Adrian's silhouette remained hauntingly still amid the spectral ambiance, his frustration palpable in the ethereal glow. 

Frustration laced his tone as Adrian grappled with self-doubt, lamenting, "I'm clueless about etching these runes. How did Vyrtalis make it seem so effortless? My own skills are a blank canvas, absolutely nonexistent."

With three sticks in his repertoire, each infused with a different core, Adrian tirelessly attempted every method he could recall from his memories and Vyrtalis's techniques to etch the runes. Despite his earnest efforts, a perplexing obstacle persisted – each time, the runes inexplicably disconnected, eluding Adrian's grasp.

Exhausted and frustrated, Adrian voiced his exasperation, "I'm fed up with this. I've toiled through the entire night, and it's not working. There's something I'm missing. What did Vyrtalis possess that I lack?" The question hung in the air, echoing the mystery of his elusive success.

As Adrian strained his cognitive faculties beyond their usual limits, the heels observed this mental exertion with a figurative lens, imagining wisps of smoke rising from his brain—completely fantastical, yet a humorous representation of the mental strain at play.

In his trials for success, the three sticks, each housing a core of fire, wind, and no affinity, became the subjects of Adrian's persistent experimentation. Despite varying the runes to align with the respective affinities, the frustrating outcome remained consistent—the runes failed to stay connected.

Adrian, grappling with the enigma, mused aloud, "Runes are designed for specific purposes. The books contained an array of runes for offense and defense. If I'm in need of offense, I should be using offense runes. But then, why isn't it working?" The conundrum persisted.

Abandoning the fruitless pursuit for the moment, Adrian reclined and pondered his next course of action. Initially hopeful of utilizing his time productively while awaiting more apples, it appeared his expectations had been misplaced.

The vivid experience from Vyrtalis's memory lingered fresh in Adrian's mind, a constant reminder that he was acutely aware of some crucial element eluding his understanding.

Shutting his eyes, Adrian sought to recall the sensations he experienced when crafting those relics. The rock and the key, both fashioned by Vyrtalis, resonated in his memory as potent symbols of effective usage and craftsmanship.

Adrian contemplated that offensive runes should theoretically be simpler compared to utility runes, as they lacked the intricate details and complexities associated with the latter.

"Just mulling it over won't get me anywhere. Practice makes a man perfect, as they say," Adrian declared, rising from his position. In an effort to refresh his mind, he contemplated engaging in monster hunting to break the mental impasse.

"Oi, heels, back to business. Take me to a place where the monsters are a level stronger than me this time. I'm done dealing with these lowlifers," Adrian instructed the heels, confident it comprehended him despite his unawareness of why it had brought him to this specific location.

Observing the heels set off in a particular direction, Adrian trailed closely behind, anticipation building as he prepared for a potentially more challenging encounter with stronger monsters.

Venturing into the deeper recesses of the forest, Adrian couldn't shake off the sense of something being amiss. By this point, he should have encountered low-level monsters, yet for some mysterious reason, there was an eerie absence of them today.

Adrian wondered, "Did they run away once they caught wind of being hunted?" The unusual absence of low-level monsters fueled his speculation on their weird behavior.

Uncertain about the unfolding situation, Adrian remained on high alert, his guard up. The memory of the forest's inherent danger from his few uneventful days lingered in his mind, urging caution.

Passing through a cluster of bushes, Adrian sensed an unseen gaze fixated on him. Turning around with heightened vigilance, he found himself met with emptiness – no one and nothing in sight.

Erring on the side of caution, Adrian swiftly plunged into the shadows without a second thought. Unwilling to take any unnecessary risks in the unpredictable forest, he acknowledged the perilous reality that anything could pose a threat, emphasizing the value of being overly cautious.

After a brief period of concealment, Adrian emerged from the shadows, scanning his surroundings with a cautious gaze.

'Was I imagining it?'

Refusing to ignore the lingering sensation, a habit born out of past experiences and the bitter lesson of the pink apple, Adrian couldn't suppress a surge of frustration at how easily he had been deceived. 

"We meet again~"

As Adrian prepared to move forward, an unsettling grinding sound reached his ears, akin to the harsh collision of two saws being mercilessly scraped together to form words. The grotesque noise sent shivers down Adrian's spine, triggering goosebumps across his entire body.

It was a repulsively disturbing sound, one that he instinctively knew couldn't emanate from a human source.

Foregoing the instinct to jump into the shadows this time, Adrian recognized a certain playfulness in the unsettling voice. 

"So, you've been lurking in the forest. Here I was thinking I'd finish you off once I stepped out of the temple, but it seems you've scurried away," Adrian remarked with a tinge of sarcasm in his voice, a subtle attempt to cloak the underlying fear. His words hung in the air as he vigilantly surveyed his surroundings.