---+---
El rose from his seated position and stepped out of the cave into the open. There was a purpose behind everything he had done since arriving in this unfamiliar territory.
It had been nearly two weeks since he had come here, during which he had learned a few things about the creatures that inhabited these lands.
He had hunted and killed some small creatures, including a pig-like beast that had been grazing on grass. Its skin was tough, but not overly difficult to penetrate—after all, he needed sustenance, and among all the creatures he encountered, it appeared to be the most edible.
Once it was slain, the rune of self provided him with some insight into the creature, revealing that the pig-like being he had just dispatched was known as a dread beast, the same as the one he had narrowly survived his first encounter with. However, this one was slightly weaker; the reason could be a matter of circumstances or preparations, or perhaps it was truly not as formidable.
All El knew was that most creatures here were beasts, and he had yet to encounter anything stronger.
Until a few days later.
While scouring the dense underbrush of the surrounding forest for food, El spotted a large shadow flicker in the corner of his eye. He swiftly turned toward it, but it vanished. Assuming it was merely the shadow of a thick branch, he pressed on for a few minutes. However, an unsettling sensation began to crawl over him, urging him to reconsider his choices.
Continuing might yield other edible creatures, but it might also lead to an encounter with that shadowy being, which he suspected was the most powerful and intelligent monster he had faced. Alternatively, he could return and risk starvation.
Before he could weigh his options further, a massive object hurtled toward him with incredible speed. Reacting instinctively, he dove to the ground just in time to avoid a boulder, three times the size of his head, which crashed against the heartwood of a nearby tree, splintering it and sending debris cascading through the forest.
Picking himself up, El turned to the source of the stone and saw it clearly—a massive humanoid figure, towering twice the height of an average person, with long limbs and a hunched back, its body completely covered in dark fur, and an ugly, wrinkled face that bore both a frown and a grin simultaneously. Once their eyes met, there was no time for hesitation. El sprinted toward the direction of the thrown boulder, disregarding the potential wrongness of his choice.
All he knew was that he needed to escape from this monster.
However, it wasn't going to be that easy; he soon heard the rustling of leaves above him and a quiet, eerie laughter creeping in,
"ehehehe…" followed by a crashing sound beside him. The creature seemed to be toying with him rather than pursuing him with lethal intent, making it clear that it could end his life at any moment if it so desired.
But El pressed on, lungs burning. Utilizing his advanced control over available essence energy, he enhanced his physical capabilities, pushing through the fatigue. After what felt like hours of relentless running, a patch of vibrant purple flowers came into view in the distance. Without a second thought, he dashed toward it, mindless of the potential dangers that might lurk in this new area.
To his surprise, it seemed to slow the creature down, and with that spark of hope, he ran into the flower-filled space, stopping after creating some distance between himself and the looming forest. Casting a glance back, a chill ran through him as he saw the creature still lurking in the shadows, its imposing figure emphasizing its threat, its large glowing eyes fixated on him. Confusion consumed El as he pondered why the creature wasn't giving chase, and it didn't take long for him to realize he likely should have preferred ignorance.
It appeared that he was doomed the moment he stepped into this field of flowers,His blood ran cold in a literal sense, and a sharp, sudden pain shot through him, as if something were piercing him from within. He convulsed and fell to his knees, drawing a painful grunt from him.
"Arrrggghh"
Pressing his hands against his chest, desperate to understand what was happening. It was then that he heard a mocking laughter reach his ears. He looked up, his face twisted in agony, only to find the source was the humanoid monster before him. Upon realizing it had been seen, the creature erupted into louder, more derisive laughter, reveling in his pitiable state and the ludicrous manner in which he was destined to die.
Yet, with the pain intensifying, he couldn't dwell on that; blood poured from his eyes, streams flowed from his ears, and volumes spilled from his mouth, even the pores of his skin were not spared. A sudden fatigue washed over him, draining his strength and sending him crashing to the ground. As he lay face down, he could still faintly hear the creature's taunting laughter, but he summoned the remnants of his willpower to push the sound away.
With great difficulty, he turned his focus inward and was confronted by a grotesque sight: a parasitic root, like a vine, was spreading and clinging to him, seemingly feeding off his temporary essence energy. Thanks to his advanced control, it was feeding slowly, which only heightened his suffering. Panic surged through him—how had he become ensnared by this parasite? He glimpsed the culprit: from the flowers, their pollen was being drawn toward him as if he were a magnet.
"It's from the flowers," El thought, gnawing at his despair. Had he only retained his healing artifact, he might have only felt sore and stressed from the pain, but alas, it was a single-use item, and he had no means of escape at his disposal. All he had was his essence, which was presently being siphoned away. The agony reached a fever pitch; if it had a limit, he was nearing it, and even if the essence drain didn't kill him, the mental strain surely would.
"Essence energy," he mused, a sudden realization striking him. His essence energy was derived from a temporary source and was minuscule compared to the abundant reserves he sensed from the creatures lurking in the land. He recalled what he knew of binding seals—contracts that impose conditions in return for enhancements or new abilities. What if he applied such a concept to his essence? Perhaps it might yield unexpected results.
------