THE AETHERBORN

Thorne moved silently through the dense underbrush of the Elven Forest, each step deliberate and cautious. It was his third time venturing into the forest that week, and each previous attempt had ended in frustration, coming back empty-handed. He had been searching for the boar mother and her piglets, the creatures that had eluded him since their first encounter. Despite his best efforts, they seemed to have vanished.

He hesitated to venture deeper into the forest. That day after he had stolen the letter had left him angry and desperate to level up. He had gone into the forest seeking prey, without really seeing where he was going.

The memory of the escalating aether levels with each step was still fresh in his mind. The plant life had transformed as well, shimmering with the telltale glow of aether. What hadn't occurred to him initially was that the animals would be affected too.

His thoughts drifted back to that eerie encounter with a bizarre creature that resembled a horse, its legs like treetrunks and its neck impossibly long. The creature had glowed like a beacon in his aether vision, momentarily freezing him in place. That moment of hesitation had saved his life, as an instant later, a nightmarish, humanoid beast with leathery grey skin and long claws had attacked the horse-like creature.

The battle was swift and brutal. Blood soaked the ground within seconds, and Thorne had tried his best to remain still, trusting in his stealth to stay undetected. Using his new skill, Shadow Meld, along with Escape Artist he had managed to slip away unnoticed. His heart had pounded like a drum the entire time. Since then, he had chosen to hunt on the outskirts of the forest, but his efforts yielded little success.

The only kill he'd managed was a small deer, which had no aether to speak of. He had even gutted it, hoping to find some magical bones like he had with the boar, but he was left disappointed. No aether, no magical bones. Just meat.

Now, after three days of fruitless hunting, Thorne came to a realization. The boars must have come from deeper within the forest. If he wanted to find them again, he would have to brave the aether-rich environment. His determination outweighed his fear, and he pushed forward, deeper into the heart of the forest.

The atmosphere changed as he ventured further. The air felt thicker, charged with a strange energy that made his skin tingle. Plants around him shimmered with vibrant colors, their aether-infused forms glowing faintly even in the daylight. Every rustle of leaves and snap of a twig set his nerves on edge, his senses heightened by the constant threat of unseen dangers.

His tracking skill alerted him to some old and faded footprints. He crouched low to the ground, sweeping aside some decaying leaves, and with excitement he recognized the tracks of the boars.

With renewed determination, Thorne followed the trail. The tracks were old, and he found himself trekking for hours. Noon turned to late afternoon, but he wasn't about to give up now that he had found his target. He was close. He could feel it.

As he moved deeper into the forest, a sense of unease began to creep over him. He whipped around several times, fearing that someone was following him, but each time he found nothing. Could Sid or someone else from Uncle's employ be trailing him? He discarded the idea as nonsense and kept going.

Thorne crouched motionless in the tree, his eyes locked on the massive mother boar and her piglets as they snuffled through the undergrowth in search of food. The mother boar's snout exhaled wisps of smoke. Thorne’s heart pounded in his chest as he watched from above, the reality of the situation sinking in. He had forgotten just how enormous and menacing the boar truly was.

For the first time, apprehension crept into his thoughts. He couldn’t attack them head-on, not with all four of them together. The mother boar alone was too much, let alone the piglets who, although smaller, were still a danger. He needed a plan—something smarter than a full-frontal assault. His mind raced, analyzing the scene. He had to isolate the piglets somehow, pick them off one by one. But how?

Suddenly, his body tensed—an impact, sudden and forceful, hit him from behind. It felt like a boulder had slammed into him, knocking him clean out of the tree. He crashed through branches, hitting the ground hard. Pain exploded in his chest, the air rushing from his lungs in a single, ragged gasp.

The world spun wildly around him, his vision swimming as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. Dazed and breathless, Thorne blinked rapidly, attempting to focus. Shadows and shapes swirled above him, but there was no mistaking the dark figure that now loomed over him, blocking out the faint light filtering through the trees.

The boars squealed, their cries frantic and terrified, but Thorne couldn’t spare them a thought. His mind was entirely consumed by the predator standing over him.

His heart stuttered in his chest as he gazed up at the creature. It looked like a panther, its lithe body coiled with deadly energy, but it was unlike any animal he had ever seen. Its flesh wasn’t made of muscle and bone, but rather of twisted vines and thick leaves. Razor-sharp wooden claws jutted out from its paws, and a set of jagged wooden teeth gleamed in its gaping maw. The only part of the creature that seemed remotely alive were its glowing, slitted green eyes—eyes that burned with an unnatural, otherworldly light.

The panther-like creature roared, a deafening, thunderous sound that reverberated through the forest. It sent the boars scattering in terror, their squeals fading as they crashed through the underbrush, desperate to escape. But Thorne couldn’t move, paralyzed by fear as the beast’s cold gaze bore into him.

He tried to make sense of what was happening, but his thoughts were scrambled. How had the creature ambushed him so easily? How had he not sensed its presence? In a moment of sheer panic, he activated his aether vision, hoping for some understanding, some glimpse of weakness he could exploit.

What he saw made his blood run cold.

The creature was almost entirely composed of aether. The dense energy flowed through its body, intertwining with the vines and leaves, tightly packed and pulsing with raw power. It was a being forged from pure aether. Thorne had never seen anything like it. The sheer magnitude of the energy radiating from the creature made him feel impossibly small and weak in comparison.

Fear gripped him, more potent than anything he had ever felt. His mind screamed at him to run, but his body was frozen in place. This creature—this thing—was beyond anything he had ever faced.

The realization hit him hard. He was going to die!

Thorne’s heart hammered in his chest, the glowing green eyes of the elemental cat tracking his every move. Its body, a twisted mass of vines, leaves, and jagged wood, moved with eerie precision, more a force of nature than an animal. Thorne tightened his grip on Sid's dagger, but he knew it wouldn’t be enough. The cold steel in his hand felt pitifully inadequate against this living, breathing mass of aether.

The cat lunged, claws outstretched, and Thorne’s body moved before his mind could catch up. He dove to the side, the wind from the creature’s swipe whistling past his ear. The uneven forest floor made it hard to find his balance, but somehow he rolled to his feet, his eyes darting for any opening, any weakness.

The realization hit him—there was no way he could win this fight conventionally. His mind scrambled for a solution, and in desperation, he activated his Aether Burst skill, summoning the primal energy he still barely understood. A sudden rush of power surged through him, and he thrust his hands forward, directing the volatile energy toward the beast.

A wave of raw aether shot from his palms and slammed into the cat with a force that rattled his bones. The creature yowled in pain as the blast ripped leaves from its body and splintered some of the wooden structure that held it together. It stumbled, clearly affected by the hit, its movements slower, more deliberate.

But the cost was immediate. Thorne’s limbs grew heavy, the familiar ache of aether fatigue gripping him tight. His breathing was labored, and he knew he couldn’t keep this up. Using aether against a creature made entirely of it was draining him faster than any fight before.

The cat, now furious, swiped at him with renewed fury. Thorne barely managed to raise his dagger in time. The force of the blow sent him reeling, crashing onto the ground with a sharp thud. Pain flared in his side where the creature’s claws had grazed him, and he felt warmth spreading as blood seeped through his torn shirt.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Thorne forced himself back to his feet. He couldn’t stay down. Not now. The cat prowled around him, circling like a predator toying with its prey, eyes locked onto him, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Vines whipped out from its body, moving like tentacles, and Thorne found himself on the defensive again. He ducked and dodged, parrying with his dagger where he could, but several of the vines lashed against him, leaving deep, stinging welts across his arms and legs.

His breath came in ragged gasps, his stamina draining fast. He knew he couldn’t keep this up. The cat was playing with him, wearing him down, and it was working.

Desperation clawed at him as he summoned his Primal Aether Manipulation. He remembered his mother’s garden, how he used his skill to make seeds grow, to nourish them into strong plants. Could he do the opposite? Could he disrupt the aether inside this beast?

He activated his aether vision, his eyes glowing faintly as he studied the creature. The aether inside the cat was immense, a swirling network of energy that seemed impenetrable. He pushed his skill, trying to destabilize it, to weaken the energy that gave the cat life, but nothing happened. The cat’s aether refused to respond, as if it were beyond his control.

In that instant, he saw something that made his blood run cold. Every time the cat attacked, more aether surged into its body, making it stronger, faster. Its strikes were becoming more precise, its movements sharper with each attack.

Shit. It’s feeding off its own power.

That realization cost him. The vines shot out again, this time wrapping around his legs, yanking him off his feet. Thorne hit the ground with a painful grunt, the breath knocked out of him. Before he could even try to free himself, the cat pounced, its wooden fangs bared, aiming for his throat.

He rolled, just barely dodging the lethal bite. The cat’s jaws snapped shut where his head had been only seconds before. Thorne swung his dagger wildly, slicing through a few of the vines that had ensnared him. The cat reared back, roaring in frustration, but Thorne knew it was only a matter of time before it came at him again.

Desperate to survive, Thorne tried to mimic the elemental cat's ability to draw strength from the ambient aether. He focused hard, attempting to siphon the raw energy swirling around him and channel it into his limbs, hoping to gain enough speed and power to turn the tide of the battle. But his first few attempts were a disaster. The aether fizzled out before it could even reach his muscles, leaving him frustrated and dangerously exposed.

Gritting his teeth, Thorne pushed harder. He could feel the aether like an invisible ocean pressing in on him—there, but just out of reach. He just needed to pull it in, to make it his. But every time he tried to guide it into his body, it slipped away, like sand falling through his fingers. His frustration built with every failed attempt, the reality of his situation gnawing at him.

The cat lunged again, its wooden claws swiping at his head. Thorne ducked, barely evading the attack. The force of the swipe sent him sprawling across the forest floor, his body screaming in pain as he hit the ground hard. He was running out of options. His stats were the only reason he was still alive, but he needed more—more speed, more strength, more power—if he was going to survive this.

But every failed attempt at controlling the aether only made the cat more confident, more aggressive. It prowled closer, eyes gleaming with the certainty of an easy kill.

In a fit of desperation, Thorne tried one more time. He forced the aether into his arm, willing it to enhance his strength, to give him the power he needed to fight back. But something went wrong. The energy backfired, exploding inside his arm. White-hot pain shot through him, his flesh feeling as if it were tearing apart from the inside. His skin turned an angry red, raw and blistered.

The cat seized the moment, slashing across his collarbone with its jagged wooden claws. Blood poured from the deep grooves left behind. Thorne stumbled back, narrowly avoiding decapitation by executing a shaky backflip—his acrobatics skill activating just in time to save his life. He landed hard, his injured arm collapsing under him, sending him sprawling once again.

The cat, sensing its prey’s growing weakness, prepared to charge. Thorne knew he couldn’t take another hit. The creature’s wooden fangs were bared, ready to end him.

Fueled by sheer desperation, Thorne unleashed his Aether Burst just as the cat closed in for the kill. The explosion of energy hit the cat point-blank, blasting into its face with a violent force. Wood splintered and shattered, revealing the pale twigs and moss that made up its insides. The cat shrieked in agony, one of its glowing eyes extinguished as the force of the burst erased it from existence.

Thorne, his body on the verge of collapse, saw his only chance. With a final, desperate effort, he plunged Sid’s dagger into the creature’s remaining eye. The blade sank deep, twisting in his hand as the cat let out a guttural, pained howl. Its massive body jerked and spasmed, limbs flailing wildly as it stumbled and crashed to the ground beside him, its life force fading rapidly. The cat’s body shuddered once, then went still, Thorne’s dagger still embedded in the shattered remnants of its eye.

Thorne lay on the ground, gasping for breath, his body screaming in pain but alive. His heart thundered in his chest as he tried to calm his racing mind. The adrenaline drained away, leaving him shaking, drenched in sweat, and aching from head to toe. Next to him, the massive elemental cat took its final, wheezing breath before going silent.

In his blurred vision, notifications swarmed:

You have leveled up!

You have reached level 13!

You have leveled up!

You have reached level 14!

You have free points to distribute!

Thorne wanted to laugh, to revel in his victory, but only a pained grunt slipped past his lips. His vision was still cluttered with notifications, more words scrolling in front of him, detailing his progress. Thick Skin, Tracking, Resilience, Primal Aether Manipulation, and Aether Burst had all gained levels. Satisfaction washed over him as he took in the updates. He deserved those boosts—he'd earned them by surviving that fight against the monstrous cat. Still, disappointment lingered at the back of his mind. Despite everything, he hadn’t unlocked a new skill. He had been so close, he could feel it. But something vital had slipped through his fingers.

As he lay there, his chest rising and falling in labored breaths, Thorne replayed the fight in his mind. The way the aether had surged and twisted when the cat used its abilities—it was different. Controlled, deliberate, and far beyond what he was capable of. He analyzed it again and again as his body slowly began to recuperate. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how dangerous it was to mess with forces he barely understood. He glanced at his ravaged hand, swollen and torn from his earlier attempt to channel the aether directly into his body. The burning reminder of just how wrong things could go.

His eyes then shifted to the remains of the elemental cat, now reduced to rotting vines and brittle wood. A creature that had seemed invincible mere moments ago was now nothing more than forest debris. Thorne was about to turn away when something caught his eye—a glimmer amidst the decay.

Greed stirred in his heart. Something valuable had survived.

Clutching his side, Thorne dragged himself over to the remains, wiping away the thick, runny sap that clung to his hands. Beneath the mess, a rough green stone, no larger than his fist, lay nestled in the debris. At first glance, it seemed like any other forest rock—nothing special. But with his Aether Vision active, the truth was revealed. The stone shone like a beacon, radiating intense, raw power. So much aether was packed into the small stone that his fingers burned from the sheer intensity of it.

His eyes widened. He had no idea what this stone was, but it must have been what gave the creature life. What made it so dangerous. His mind raced, thinking of the fortune it could fetch if he found the right buyer. The thought of gold and power flooded his senses, pushing aside the exhaustion and pain. He grinned, greed now fully taking hold.

With a satisfied smile, Thorne pocketed the rock, feeling its warmth even through his clothes. He quickly scanned the remains for anything else of value, but there was nothing more. The cat’s body had disintegrated into little more than compost. The disappointment was brief—he already had his prize.

He looked up at the sky, noticing the darkening hue. The shadows of the forest were growing longer, thicker, more ominous. He had pushed his luck far enough for one night. His entire body ached, and his hand was a throbbing reminder of just how close he had come to losing it all.

With one last glance at the now-silent forest, Thorne decided it was time to head back.