The first thing I noticed about the Forest of Absolute was how everything seemed alive but not in the comforting way most people might imagine, Here, "alive" meant something dangerous, something beyond my ability to handle Small creatures scuttled between the roots and shadows of trees They weren't cute. Far from it. Each was a miniature nightmare crystalline, spider-like beings no larger than my palm, their clear bodies refracting light like broken glass. Their legs moved in unnatural, jerking patterns all of this at the beginning of my journey what had left to see was much more
"Don't touch anything" Jaipa suddenly said , even though I was only looking at them. As always, his guidance was unnecessary, As if I needed a reminder to avoid something obviously that lethal
Suddenly a creature lunged, its crystalline leg transforming into a needle-sharp spike i shifted slightly, letting the attack pass from a centimetres from my body The creature's spike embedded itself into a nearby tree, which began vibrating with violence
"Impressive," I muttered. Even if it was just a little bug , it seemed desperate to survive just like me
More creatures emerged. Some with bodies that shifted between solid and liquid states, others with multiple eyes tracking movement like predators. A thought surfaced in my mind the forest floor could it even be considered non-living? This entire place was a breathing, pulsating ecosystem of potential death.
As I walked, I began to notice a change Movements became slightly more predictable. A twitch here, a subtle vibration there. Where before I barely avoided attacks, now I could anticipate them with precision.
I don't know when this all started If I had to guess, I'd say it began the day of the ceremony the moment I was accepted by my first key. That must have been when my body changed the most…
And it's still changing, Each time the black fog seeps out, it leaves my body and mind stronger than before like it's garding me
Jaipa noticing he said "Your reflexes are seems more sharper then before
I gave a minimal nod and then continued our walk , The creatures continued their assault, but none managed to touch me. I had thought I was just weak, but in reality, those Shadowmancers were simply too strong for someone like me.
After a moment, I stopped dodging their attacks.
As we moved deeper into the forest, the scenery changed. Trees with bark that looked like human faces not detailed representations, but unsettling suggestions of features Roots that seemed to breathe Moss that glowing with light all of this were unusual but interesting
What We needed so now was to find a shelter to sleep with that in mind we wandered After hours of searching, we found a potential one a rock formation of natural cave, its entrance partially hidden by a curtain of moss-covered vines. The location was defensible a small opening, multiple sightlines, elevated around the ground
"Home sweet home," Jaipa muttered sarcastically ignoring him we began to inspecting the shelter carefully. I didn't want a repeat of last time putting my hand on my Chin touching the mark on my face , when that damned snake had made a surprise appearance. Clenching my teeth as those memory came , I searched for any immediate signs of current inhabitants i found No tracks of anything No disturbances nothing at all it felt strange but It was a good shelter.
Finally, I took a moment to rest and turned my attention to the Mir Stone. The smooth, stone was still glowing, beckoning me.
Without hesitation, I placed it in my mouth.
"Consuming another Mir Stone?" Jaipa's voice held a mix of curiosity
I simply stared at the stone and swallowed.
It didn't taste like anything I expected. Not that I had much experience with magical artifacts, but this was… different At First, it was cold. Impossibly cold. Like swallowing a piece of winter that burned with internal frost. Then, a flavor emerged not a taste, exactly, more like a sensation. Imagine the feeling of lightning translated into a culinary experience a Sharp and Electric Unfamiliar
"Are you going to make a face?" Jaipa flying close to me flickering with excitement
I swallowed and Blinked once"Interesting."
As my word fell Jaipa burst into laughter. "That's it? 'Interesting'? Most people would be screaming or writhing in pain, and you just call it 'interesting'?"
"It was the same last time. I didn't feel much then, either."
The stone's energy spread through my body. Not painful. Not pleasant. Just... different. Like foreign energy settling into me.
After a few moments, I could tell what had changed into me , It was a Mir Stone of Strength with that we wandered for food, searching for nearly an hour with no luck.
"Now what?" Jaipa asked, looking at me expectantly.
"We could eat that thing."
"Which thing...? Hey… hey, Rudra… no way."
The path back to the Shadowmancer's fallen body wasn't straightforward twisted terrain, unexpected drops, sections When we arrived at the fallen body was still there.
"Don't tell me you're going to eat it."
I turned my head, searching for a reason not to "Why can't I? Is it poisonous?"
I looked at Jaipa, expecting an answer. He nodded no, but his disgust was obvious.
The Shadowmancer's meat was another challenge entirely. Its thick scales made cutting difficult for me These weren't ordinary scales they were like layered obsidian, each piece holding a resistance that suggested the creature was still, somehow, fighting back even in death
I drew my blade and attempted to cut through it The blade struggled and bounced back , Each slice required precise pressure and a dance of force and angle
When I finally managed to cut sections of meat, the texture defied expectations not soft, not hard. Something in between, like cutting through a substance that couldn't decide its own state of matter then Finding a suitable spot, I gathered stones and built a fire. The cooking process was equally strange. The meat didn't sizzle like normal protein. Instead, its Colors was changing beneath its surface deep purples, midnight blues, occasional streaks of silver as Jaipa watched it with a mixture of fascination and mild disgust on his face. "Are you really going to eat that?"
"Food is food," I responded after a while of waiting
Once it was ready, I took the first bite just to experience the favour the flavors exploded in my mouth foreign, impossible. A bizarre mix of durian and honey.
I slowly chewed and Swallowed I didn't let the flavor settle, I just wanted to fill my stomach already
"Well?" Jaipa asked, practically bursting with curiosity.
"Adequate."
"Adequate?!" His high-pitched laugh ringing through the forest. "You just consumed meat from a creature that could probably kill you ten's of Times , and all you have to say is 'adequate'?"
I shrugged. One shoulder. Moving little to the side even in death, the Shadowmancer's scales resisted my blade. each scale were helding its own essence, its own small universe of resistance telling me it won't be a simple survival for me
"This won't decompose easily,"
"Nothing is easy in the Forest of Absolute," Jaipa retorted as the night fell, the forest slowly started to change casting long shadows of trees the strange, face-like trees seemed to watch more intently. I could tell the difference before consuming the Mir Stone and after Even the slightest increase in strength meant a higher chance of survival for me
I had survived another day depending on my luck " Just another day "
Survival remained the only true meaning of my life for now