Chapter 4: The Duskwight

  Time passed slowly as they walked, a heavy silence settling between them. Their initial excitement at encountering another person had faded, leaving a quiet tension. Aeor’s thoughts kept drifting back to the ancient ruins.

  "Hey, are you okay?" Zoey’s concerned voice pulled him back to reality.

  Aeor sighed softly. "Yeah, I’m fine." His voice came out rougher than intended.

  Zoey glanced down at his hand. "Is that amulet special?"

  Aeor blinked, realizing he'd been gripping it tightly without noticing. He loosened his fingers, allowing it to fall against his chest. "Yeah... my uncle gave it to me not too long ago."

  They continued walking quietly for a moment until Zoey broke the silence again. "Do you think others from our worlds are here, too?"

  "I hope not. This place so far seems quiet barren," Aeor replied softly. "Do you have someone waiting for you back home?"

  A mischievous smirk appeared on Zoey's face. "Oh? Interested in me already? Sorry, I don't court strangers. You'll have to earn it first."

  Aeor gave her a blank stare. "I meant family or friends. And honestly, I figured you might be older than me."

  Zoey froze, a chilling quietness overtaking her expression as she slowly turned to face him, skillet clutched tightly in one hand.

  "Oh no..." Aeor muttered, backpedaling quickly. "Wait, that didn't come out right. I meant you look young for your age!"

  A vein bulged dangerously in Zoey’s temple.

  "No, wait, that sounds worse. I mean—"

  "You’re dead, you punk!" Zoey shouted, charging toward him.

  Aeor bolted, stumbling forward in a frantic escape. The chase ended abruptly as he reached a steep cliff edge and quickly raised a hand to signal silence.

  Zoey halted immediately, sensing his seriousness.

  He pointed downward.

  Below them, a vibrant turquoise stream flowed gently, winding through the rocky terrain. Along its banks, obsidian-hued creatures lumbered, large boar-like beasts whose bodies seemed built from interlocking shards of black glass. Jagged spines ridged their backs like fractured blades catching faint light. There were ten of them, most lowering their shard-plated heads to drink.

  Aeor activated Threadgaze and looked at the obsidian beasts.

  Race: Coalspine Brutes

  Essence Tier: Awakened (E)

  Status: Normal

  "We should follow the stream. There might be something we can use or eat downstream."

  Carefully, they descended, giving the Coalspine Brutes a wide berth. When they reached the stream’s edge, they noticed the water was filled with tiny, luminous motes drifting lazily downstream.

  Zoey crouched down, touching the water curiously. "I can feel essence within this... it feels like water."

  "You can sense it?" Aeor asked, genuinely surprised.

  She looked up at him. "You can't?"

  Aeor shook his head.

  Zoey considered this thoughtfully. "The Archives said I have water and fire affinity. Maybe that’s why."

  Aeor turned his attention to the stream, activating Threadgaze again.

  Whisperflow

  Essence Tier: Flicker (E)

  Basic Properties: Partial Essence Enrichment

  Archive Note: "The stream murmurs in tongues older than stone, carrying the whispers of buried flames."

  He cupped some water in his hands and drank. The cool, enriched water soothed his throat, easing some of the tension he carried.

  After a moment, Zoey broke the silence again. "By the way, how old did you think I was?"

  Aeor hesitated, suddenly wary.

  She smiled reassuringly. "Relax, I won’t bite. I’m just curious."

  "Twenty eight winters?" he said cautiously.

  Zoey raised an eyebrow in amusement. "I’m twenty-six. If that's considered old, how old are you?"

  Aeor glanced away, slightly embarrassed. "Nineteen winters."

  She considered that briefly, then stood up. "Let's keep moving. We really need to find food soon, or we're going to be in trouble."

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  They continued downstream, moving cautiously and occasionally diverting their path around wandering Coalspine Brutes. After a few hours, Zoey pointed ahead excitedly.

  “Look there,” she said, indicating a cave with a gentle, glowing light emanating from within. “We should check it out.”

  Aeor slowed his pace as they neared the cave entrance. He felt a faint, familiar sensation.

  “Hold on,” he whispered, holding up his hand. “There's death essence here. It's faint, though.”

  Zoey tensed slightly. “Should we keep going downstream?”

  Aeor hesitated, then shook his head. “No. The sun is setting, and I'm not sure if we can find shelter in time."

  He glanced up and saw dark clouds forming on the horizon. "There was a violent storm last night. I hoped it wasn't a nightly occurrence, but looking at those clouds, we might have another visit from that storm."

  Stepping inside the cave, Aeor noted the bioluminescent moss that was present in the cave he rested last night, pulsing gently with a washed-out reddish glow. The faint illumination offered no warmth, only a sterile and eerie ambiance. He tightened his grip on the spear as he advanced quietly, boots barely making a sound against the stone. Zoey stayed close beside him, skillet held firmly in one hand, a tiny orb of water floating gently above the other.

  The air grew heavier the deeper they went, not with heat, but with death essence. Aeor immediately felt its pull, a faint resonance of death essence humming beneath his skin. It was weak compared to the torrent he carried within himself, yet potent enough to set his instincts on edge.

  Eventually, they found the source.

  A body.

  At first glance, it appeared human, but only barely. The limbs were slightly elongated, fingers slender and lacking nails. The skin was a muted dusk color, seemingly drinking in the cave’s ambient light, their outline blurring gently into shadows even in death.

  The corpse wore deep indigo clothing, fashioned from smooth, tightly woven fabric that hugged their frame. Matching gloves and boots adorned their extremities, and a delicate, near-transparent veil covered the lower half of their face and neck, frayed and scorched at the edges. Beneath the tattered clothing, exposed skin was blackened and cracked as if scorched from within.

  Zoey grimaced softly. “I don’t like this.”

  Aeor didn’t reply. Kneeling beside the corpse, he closed his eyes briefly in quiet respect before activating Threadgaze.

  Ki

  Race: Duskwight

  Essence Tier: Awakened (E)

  Essence Stability: Flickering

  Status: Deceased

  A solemn silence settled over them as they carefully repositioned the body into a more respectful pose. The cave around them seemed to grow quieter, almost reverent.

  Zoey finally broke the silence. “I think they died from exposure. Maybe the atmosphere or sunlight here was too harsh for their skin.”

  “Maybe,” Aeor murmured.

  His attention returned to the lingering essence around the corpse. It pulsed and his inner well of essence shook.

  What was that?

  He reached out internally, attempting to shift the essence clinging to the body, but it resisted stubbornly, like wet ash.

  He clicked his tongue softly in frustration. Instinct alone wouldn’t suffice. He activated Deathbind Edge, directing the flow with more precision, until a sudden, sharp drain emptied at his reserves. Aeor staggered, breath catching in his throat, the cave spinning for a heartbeat.

  The essence reacted violently.

  It pushed back, resisting his efforts fiercely. Unlike ambient essence, this was deeply entangled, anchored to something beyond simple presence. Aeor's brows knit in intense concentration as he pressed harder, adjusting the flow carefully until—

  Something snapped.

  A sliver of death essence broke free, and immediately the rest followed in a volatile surge. A wave of corrupted energy burst from the corpse, sending Aeor sprawling backward onto the cave floor. Behind him, he heard Zoey’s startled yelp and a metallic clang.

  Groaning, Aeor rolled over, seeing Zoey sprawled several feet away, her skillet lying beside her.

  “I’m... sorry,” Aeor said sheepishly, standing up and brushing himself off.

  What was I even doing? I was so engrossed back there, like I didn't even have control over my thoughts.

  His musings were cut short as Zoey spoke. "You were staring daggers at the corpse for almost an hour. I was about to come and check up on you."

  "An hour!?"

  "What do you mean? You don't remember?"

  "It felt like only a few minutes had passed."

  Zoey raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Seriously, what were you doing? You stared at that body like it owed you money."

  “The corpse was bound with death essence. There was something wrong with that essence. I don't know how to describe the feeling, but I was trying to correct it?”

  "Seems like you yourself are not even sure. Did it work, though?"

  "I think so. I don't sense any lingering death essence there."

  Zoey turned her gaze back to the corpse, her expression softening. “Should we… put them to rest?”

  Aeor nodded slowly. “We usually burn our dead, but that feels wrong. Their death was already harsh enough. Do you know of another way?”

  Zoey’s eyes grew distant. “Some people buried their dead back on Earth. But here, there's no soil, only obsidian.”

  Aeor scanned the surroundings thoughtfully. “We can cover them with stones. It's crude, but respectful enough.”

  Zoey nodded quietly. “We don’t have many options.”

  Zoey kneeled beside the body, her gaze drifting to her feet. Her slippers were warped and melted, practically useless. Her hands trembled slightly as she removed the Duskwight’s boots. She paused, eyes flicking towards the corpses' face before slipping them on. They fit, more or less, but she didn’t look up for a long while.

  Aeor stayed silent, simply watching her.

  It’s a strange, bitter thing, scavenging from the dead. But this world demands practicality over sentiment. Looking at Zoey, her skin pale, blistered, and her frame tense with unease. It was clear she hadn't endured this kind of prolonged hardship before.

  Zoey and Aeor moved the body carefully into a quiet corner of the cave and gently covered it with stones. They stood in solemn silence for several moments, the quiet weight of their task lingering in the air.

  Eventually, Zoey was the first to step away, moving deeper into the cave, away from the sight of the makeshift cairn. Aeor followed her at a respectful distance, noting the subdued expression she wore.

  “I'm here if you want to talk,” Aeor offered softly.

  She turned, giving him a faint but genuine smile. “I might take you up on that later.”

  Zoey sighed and kneeled down, setting up a makeshift stand for her pan. She began gathering the faintly glowing moss that grew along the cave's walls.

  “What are you doing?” Aeor asked, watching her place the delicate strands carefully into her pan.

  “Cooking,” she replied simply. “I hoped I could create some fire. It says I have a fire affinity, but they didn't exactly provide instructions on how to use it.”

  She sat cross-legged, eyes closing in concentration. Aeor stepped away, activating Threadgaze on the bioluminescent moss she'd gathered.

  Glowroot Mycelia

  Essence Tier: Flicker (E)

  Basic Properties: Mildly nutritious, faintly sweet when roasted.

  Archive Note: “In darkness it thrives; in silence it whispers secrets.”

  He moved toward the cave's mouth to give Zoey some space, letting his own thoughts settle.

  Maybe I'm the one who needs time to sort things out.

  Aeor sat down at the cave entrance, watching as the sun began to set, painting unfamiliar colors across the sky. He allowed his mind to empty, locking away the turbulent emotions he'd been carrying since awakening. He wasn't ready to confront them fully, not yet.

  As the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, the festering clouds had dissipated, leaving behind a sky filled with unfamiliar constellations that unfolded overhead. He searched absently for familiar patterns, but found none.

  The silence of the night was strangely comforting, easing the tension from his shoulders.

  Hours passed quietly, interrupted only by the sudden sound of delighted laughter from within the cave.

  Turning and heading deeper in, Aeor saw Zoey kneeling beside her makeshift campfire, a tiny flame dancing brightly without any wood beneath her pan. Her face lit up when she noticed his approach, offering him a broad, triumphant grin.

  They sat quietly together, waiting patiently until the food was cooked. Aeor tasted the roasted Glowroot cautiously. It wasn't bad, though certainly far from delicious.

  Zoey grimaced dramatically. “All that effort for this?”

  Aeor chuckled softly. “It's really not that bad. I once survived on Frostback Ravager meat for an entire week. Bitter, chewy, and metallic, left me feeling half-dead.”

  Zoey smirked, shaking her head. “Oh, you poor medieval boy. Where I come from, this is the kind of food you'd spit out on a bad camping trip.”

  "Medieval boy?" Aeor repeated, chuckling.

  She paused thoughtfully, her expression turning more serious.

  “You know, my world’s really different from yours. I’m sure you've figured that out by now.”

  Aeor nodded, listening attentively.

  “Like I mentioned before… imagine a world where everyone’s connected. You could speak to anyone, anywhere, instantly. We had machines that flew across continents. Most people lived in tall towers, always staring at glowing screens. Talking. Watching. Learning everything... without moving.”

  A shadow crossed her eyes, deep sadness threading her voice. “Yet, for all the talk of love and kindness, people were selfish. The good ones often drowned beneath a system built to serve only the powerful and wealthy.”

  Aeor offered a gentle smile. “Seems like our worlds aren’t so different after all.”

  Zoey laughed softly. “Touché. But this Glowroot still sucks.”

  They shared a quiet moment of laughter, the warmth of the tiny fire offering comfort. For a while, neither of them spoke. Just the flicker of flame and the rustle of stone filled the silence. It wasn’t peace, but it was close. Eventually, they settled down, deciding to rest in the cave overnight before continuing their journey downstream at dawn.