The Ironclaw guildhall was louder than usual that morning. Laughter echoed across the room as guild members recounted tales of glory from their recent missions. Kael sat alone at his usual corner table, chewing on a piece of stale bread. The other members barely acknowledged his presence, except for the occasional sneer or taunt.
"Can't believe he's still here," Brynn muttered, his voice loud enough for Kael to hear.
"Maybe he likes being useless," Leoric added, his booming laugh sending a ripple of agreement through the room.
Kael had grown used to their jabs over the past year. He no longer flinched when they mocked him, nor did he rise to their bait. Instead, he kept his focus on the small victories he'd achieved: surviving missions, improving his control over Energy Channel, and enduring when they wanted him gone.
Sera entered the room, her fiery presence commanding silence. She scanned the hall, her gaze stopping on Kael with barely concealed disdain.
"Veynor," she said sharply. "Come to my office. Now."
Kael's stomach tightened as he stood. He followed her through the guildhall, past murmured whispers and snickers.
Sera's office was a stifling place, its walls adorned with trophies of past victories, each mocking Kael's struggles. The mission parchment she slid across the desk felt heavier than it should have.
Kael scanned the details.
"Retrieve a Moonshard from the Gloamwood?" he asked, his brow furrowed.
"Problem?" Sera asked flatly, her arms crossed.
"No," Kael replied, though his voice wavered. He knew the Gloamwood's reputation—monsters as deadly as its labyrinthine paths. "It's a B-rank quest."
"And?" Sera's lips curled into a faint smirk. "You've been here a year. Time to prove you're worth the air you breathe. Or…" She let the implication hang.
Kael clenched his fists, his pride outweighing his fear. "I'll do it."
The Gloamwood was no less nightmarish than Kael had imagined. Towering trees twisted unnaturally toward the sky, their skeletal branches clawing at the perpetual twilight. The ground was a chaotic mix of roots and uneven terrain, and the air carried a faint, metallic tang.
Kael moved cautiously, his dagger at the ready and his Energy Channel active to sense nearby threats.
The first few hours were manageable—he dispatched small beasts and evaded traps laid by the forest's natural hazards. But his luck didn't hold.
As Kael approached the cavern where the Moonshard was rumored to be, a low growl stopped him in his tracks. Emerging from the shadows were a pack of Nightstalkers, their glowing red eyes locked onto him.
Kael cursed under his breath. He had faced Nightstalkers before but never this many.
The first two lunged at him, and Kael rolled to the side, slashing at one with his dagger while releasing a burst of energy to knock the other back. The injured Nightstalker yelped and retreated, but the rest of the pack only grew more aggressive.
Kael ran.
The forest blurred around him as he sprinted, leaping over roots and ducking under low-hanging branches. The growls grew louder, closer. He risked a glance back and saw the pack leader—a massive Nightstalker with glowing blue eyes—leading the charge.
Kael's lungs burned as he pushed himself harder. His energy reserves were nearly depleted, and his movements became sluggish.
Ahead, he spotted a ledge. With no other options, Kael skidded to a stop, turning to face the pack.
The leader lunged.
Kael barely dodged, stumbling backward. His foot caught on the edge, and he fell.
Kael's world spun as he plummeted into the depths of the Gloamwood. He hit the ground hard, the impact driving the air from his lungs. Pain erupted through his body—sharp, burning pain in his ribs and limbs.
He coughed, blood splattering the dirt beneath him. His vision blurred, and for a moment, he thought he wouldn't get up again.
But the sound of distant growls forced him to move. With a groan, he dragged himself to his feet, clutching his side.
Ahead, partially obscured by overgrowth, was an ancient, crumbling door. Desperate for shelter, Kael stumbled toward it, forcing it open.
The door led to a cavern, its walls lined with faintly glowing crystals. At its center stood a hulking creature—a Primordial Wraith, a beast of pure energy encased in a skeletal, translucent frame. Its core pulsed with the same energy Kael wielded, but far more potent.
The Wraith turned its glowing gaze on Kael, its presence overwhelming.
"You've got to be kidding me," Kael muttered, gripping his dagger with trembling hands.
The Wraith attacked without hesitation, a beam of concentrated energy searing toward Kael. He dove to the side, narrowly avoiding obliteration.
Kael struck back, unleashing what little energy he had left. His blast barely phased the monster. The Wraith retaliated with a swipe of its massive claws, sending Kael crashing into the cavern wall.
"Damn it," Kael groaned, struggling to stand.
The Wraith prepared another energy attack, its core flaring with brilliance. Kael raised his hands in a futile attempt to block it.
The energy blast struck Kael, but instead of killing him, his Energy Channel reacted instinctively. It absorbed the attack, the sheer power of it flooding his body. Kael felt his veins burn as the energy surged through him, his ability expanding and adapting.
Without thinking, he redirected the energy, releasing it in a devastating counterattack. The blast struck the Wraith's core, shattering it with an explosion of light and sound.
The cavern fell silent, save for Kael's ragged breathing. The monster's remains disintegrated, leaving behind its glowing core.
Kael crawled toward the core, his body trembling from pain and exhaustion. Instinct told him to take it. With a shaking hand, he reached out, and the core dissolved into pure energy, flowing into him.
The moment it entered his body, Kael felt a transformation. His wounds began to close—not completely, but enough to keep him alive. The energy strengthened his body and expanded his Energy Channel, allowing him to absorb and manipulate far greater amounts of power.
Kael staggered to his feet, his mind reeling. He wasn't fully healed, but he could fight.
Fighting His Way OutThe journey back to the surface was grueling. The bottom of the Gloamwood was even more dangerous than its upper levels. Kael faced hordes of beasts, but his upgraded ability allowed him to survive. He absorbed energy from the environment and redirected it into powerful strikes and barriers, carving a path through the darkness.
Finally, battered and exhausted, he reached the Moonshard cavern. He retrieved the glowing crystal, its light a beacon of hope amid the chaos.
When Kael stumbled into the Ironclaw guildhall, covered in dirt and blood but holding the Moonshard, the room fell silent.
"Well, look who decided to show up," Brynn said, breaking the silence. "What took you so long, rookie?"
"Did you trip over your own feet again?" Dray added, smirking.
Kael ignored them, walking straight to Sera. He placed the Moonshard on the table in front of her.
"Here," he said, his voice hoarse.
Sera inspected the shard, her expression unreadable. Finally, she looked up at him.
"You survived," she said, her tone flat. "Barely. Congratulations on doing something the rest of us consider average."
Kael stared at her, his jaw tightening. He said nothing, turning and walking away as the room erupted in laughter once more.
That night, Kael sat in his corner, staring at the Moonshard's faint glow. He flexed his hands, feeling the newfound strength within them.
They still mocked him. They still doubted him.
But they hadn't broken him. Not yet.