Ether: Pulse of the Forgotten

The forest was quiet in that way only danger could make it.

No birds. No wind. Just the distant creak of trees and the slow rhythm of Kai's breathing.

They had found a small clearing to rest in—a pocket of peace carved between the chaos of surviving. Sasha and Talia were nearby, handling watch rotations and tending to supplies. But Kai had drifted to the edge of the camp, away from the noise, to somewhere he could think.

He was thinking about the power.

The same power he'd first noticed back when his eyes opened to this world—so much energy, hanging in the air around him. Not his. Yet.

He'd felt like a bystander then, drowning in someone else's storm.

But now?

Now it was time to claim some of it.

Kai inhaled slowly, letting the Ether saturate his lungs, his veins. He closed his eyes, centering himself, not forcing the power but inviting it. Drawing it in, thread by thread, until it felt like the air itself had folded into his hands.

The system whispered as the surge settled through him.

A calm hum filled his chest. Smooth. Controlled. Balanced.

[New Skill Acquired: Meditation.]

Enter a focused state, gradually absorbing ambient energy to accelerate recovery and cultivation. Increases clarity and control during extended sessions.

Kai opened his eyes, the world sharper than before.

This wasn't about raw force anymore. Anyone could smash their way through a fight.

Control meant survival.

Precision meant winning.

Kai stood with his feet planted, hands relaxed at his sides. He raised his palm, let the energy stir. Air Palm had become second nature now—push, release, impact. Simple. Effective.

But messy.

Too much wasted force. Too wide.

He flexed his fingers, narrowing the focus, imagining the wind as a line instead of a blast. Thin. Sharp. Like the edge of a blade.

The pressure built, and this time he didn't shove it forward in a burst. He dragged it. Slowly. Horizontally through the air.

The result was… almost nothing.

Just a faint shimmer where his hand moved.

But when a leaf drifted down into the path of that shimmer, it split cleanly in two before it ever hit the ground.

Kai exhaled.

"Okay," he whispered to himself. "Now we're getting somewhere."

He did it again. Then again. Each time the line grew sharper, more stable. The energy no longer scattered. It held together, suspended just long enough to matter.

A real cut.

A weapon, quiet as the breeze itself.

The system finally caught up, blinking to life at the edge of his vision.

[New Skill Acquired: Shear Cutter.]

Release a razor-thin arc of compressed air, capable of slicing through obstacles and enemies alike. Lingers briefly before dissipating.

Kai exhaled slowly, the moment sinking in.

"Better," he muttered. "Much better."

The breeze shifted, carrying with it a feeling he'd learned to trust.

days that followed drifted by like a breeze.

Simple. Quiet. Easy, in the way survival rarely was.

Kai spent his mornings practicing, not because he needed to, but because he wanted to see just how thin he could make the air slice. Shear Cutter was coming along nicely—no wasted motion, no extra force. Just a clean line drawn through the world wherever he pointed.

Sasha called it overkill. Talia called it art.

Kai called it fun.

And honestly? Things had started feeling almost… normal.

They hunted just enough to stay sharp. Nothing worth remembering—packs of small beasts, the occasional overgrown predator. Sasha took the long shots. Talia handled the rest. Kai barely had to get his hands dirty, though he couldn't resist testing Shear Cutter when the moment felt right.

By the end of the fourth day, the system dropped its usual reward:

[Level 24 achieved.]

Kai felt the growth settle into his bones. Smooth. Easy. Like breathing.

And for once, no monsters. No storms. Just the soft rustle of wind through leaves and the slow drip of water off distant stones.

Then they found the survivor.

Or what was left of him.

A man, half-conscious and slumped against a tree. Clothes torn, arm useless at his side, eyes glazed from pain.

Kai crouched beside him, offering water, though the man barely managed a sip.

"They're… coming," he rasped. "Big group. Hunting people… took out a camp… close…"

Kai frowned but kept his tone light. "Sounds like a lot of trouble. Lucky for us, we're not interested."

The man tried to smile. Didn't quite manage.

When he drifted off for good, Kai stood and dusted off his hands.

"Well," Sasha said, arms crossed. "That's ominous."

"Sure is," Kai replied, glancing down at the body. "Poor guy."

Talia gave a shrug. "We gonna do something about it?"

Kai looked between them.

"We keep moving," he said simply. "Not our fight unless they make it ours. We didn't come here to clean up someone else's mess."

Sasha nodded. "Fair."

Talia grinned. "Cowards, huh?"

"Smart cowards," Kai shot back. "Big difference."

They didn't rush after that. They didn't panic.

But they started making smarter moves.

Talia left subtle false trails. Sasha scouted higher ground and tighter paths. Kai started testing small bursts of speed with his Ether, nudging himself into short hops and slides over rough terrain. It wasn't much—yet—but it was enough to feel the edges of what might come next.

For now, they stayed ahead of the problem.

And if the other group wanted to hunt players?

That wasn't any of their business.

For now.

Kai stretched his arms over his head as the sun dipped behind the trees.

"Another perfect day," he said, half to himself. "Think I might even sleep through the night."

"Before or after they find us?" Sasha teased.

Kai grinned. "If! If they find us."

_____

The first sign they were being followed came on the wind.

Talia spotted it first—a snapped branch, a scuffed patch of dirt, subtle signs even the wildlife hadn't made.

"Close?" Kai asked, keeping his voice casual as they moved along the ridge.

Talia shrugged. "Close enough. Been shadowing us half the day. Six, maybe seven of them."

Sasha adjusted the strap on her bow, glancing back down the slope. "They're getting bolder. Closing the gap."

Kai grinned. "Good for them. Always nice to feel appreciated."

They didn't change pace. Didn't start running or hiding or making a scene.

Just kept walking.

If Reed's group taught them anything, it was that looking scared only made things worse.

"Should we confront them?" Talia asked as they hopped a fallen log.

Kai shook his head. "Not yet. Let them stay curious. Maybe they're just… admirers."

Sasha snorted. "With swords."

"All the best fans have swords," Kai replied.

Still, they adjusted their route. Little things—steeper hills, thicker brush, narrow passes where numbers wouldn't help much if a fight broke out.

By the second night, the other group was close enough that Sasha spotted them on the far ridge. Just shapes in the dusk. Watching.

"They know we know," she said when she rejoined the camp.

Kai tossed another log on the fire. "Good. Means they'll stop pretending."

The night passed quietly. Too quietly.

In the morning, the trail was tighter. Heavier. Footsteps where there shouldn't have been any. Movement just beyond the tree line.

But still no attack.

Just pressure.

Like they were waiting for something.

Or testing.

Kai kept the mood light.

Every meal was a joke. Every stop a story. They laughed, stretched, moved like they didn't have a care in the world.

But their hands never drifted far from their weapons.

And their eyes were always scanning the shadows.

Because sooner or later, the patience would run out.

And when it did?

Well.

That would be their mistake.