He stepped into life, and a deep warmth of foreboding engulfed him, almost convincing him to lie down and rest. A beam of sunlight lanced through the giant tree leaves, shimmering the brown earth like some verdant river. Ruvick moved his hand across it, the light buzzed with hum of life into him.
“You,” A soft murmur called.
The voice is soft, like she did not want to disrupt the peaceful calm of the forest.
Ruvick turned around, his core leapt in joy. A female wood elf stood there, her eyes brimming with thousands of emotions swirling inside those blue eyes. A greenish bow thrummed with wood essence slung across her shoulder. Long blade sheathed at her hip. She wore a green, brownish tunic with a cloak fit for travel. Her long brown hair swayed as she stared at him, revealing her long ears.
She went on one knee, her head bowed toward him. Her body quivered with shame, she sobbed, and tears made their way down her face. “I’m sorry,” She started through her cry. “It appears our force lost the battle. We fail you. Now, they will burn down this forest.”
Ruvick reached out, wooden hand inches away from her face. She lifted her face toward him, a grief-stricken face quivering with a questioning look. He touched her neck, she let him. He felt her vein pounding, each beat a sign of her life. A knotted tension across his shoulder released. Ruvick wants to feel life, formulating a response seems almost unimportant.
“I'm here, born from the great Nil to prevent that from happening.”
“Great Nil..” Her ear perked up. She lay an arm across Ruvick's body, directly across his core, separated by his trunk. “I had thought I could feel her in you. In that spear as well. Are you Nil herself?”
“No, I'm not her. I saw her death, her power thrummed inside of me, still alive. But she, as a living being, has passed on.” He had hope her hug still lingered, draping him like a ghost. If he dives deep inside his core and tries to feel her, he would feel that last touch of her again. Yet, he acknowledges it is merely a convenient fantasy made up by his mind. Nothing will change her death.
“I'm sure she will be reborn to a good life,” The elf smile. “Nil has only done good. When we have a proper send off for her.. It should be a celebration, not a mourning.”
“A celebration,” Ruvick repeated. “That would be a great honor”.
“My name is Nue. Named after the old tongue of wind,” She went on one knee. “I possess two essences. Wind, Fire. If I could be of any service to you, please ask me anything.” Nue said as she dipped her head.
“Mine is Ruvick, I was just born with a great power.” Ruvick felt the thrumming essences inside of him. “I only have a vague idea of what to do with them from my flitting memory. I will ask for your guidance.”
“Of course. Tell me what essence you have?”
That made him pause. Is it wise to reveal it? But, she already knows he was born from Nil. Perhaps he should not have told her that. Ruvick shook his head. Wood elves have been the trees' partner in life inside this forest for hundreds of years. It’s a bond he wants to continue.
“I possess eight essences and a blessing that allows me to draw any skill combination.”
“Bypassing old tongue letter overlap?” Nue asked.
“Yes”
She hummed deep in thought. Opening her mouth only to close it again. “Master Ruvick, will you come with me to our village? There are others who would be able to give you better guidance than I ever could.”
“Of course, I plan to do so.”
“But, first, let’s get you familiar with skills drawing.” Nue lifted her hand, and wind coalesced, forming a rapid, small tornado on her palm. “This is a pure wind-based skill. Drawn from the Wind Essence at the cost of Pure Essence.” Then she lifted her other hand to cover the wind. A prickle of flame blooms swirling inside the tornado, it grows, dancing in a spiral with the wind, changing its color. “This skill is drawn from two essences, Wind and Fire. If their old tongue has no overlapping letters, then it is possible to draw. If you have overlapping essence…”
“Your essence will kill you,” Ruvick finished. To which Nue nodded.
“Another thing to be careful of is, once you pull a skill. The cost is all of your pure essence.”
“All of them?” Ruvick asked.
“Yes, it will be completely drained to zero.”
Pure Essence: 1000000.
Divine Blessing: Nature Symphony – The will of nature has unified your Essences. You may draw Skills from any Essences combination you possess, bypassing any overlapping Old Tongue.
Essence (8/100):
- [Death Essence.] (DECROPHOS)
- [Fire Essence.] (ROH)
- [Earth Essence.] (GAV)
- [Water Essence.] (LIM)
- [Plant Essence.] (LUPIH)
- [Light Essence.] (RENDESCE)
- [Wood Essence.] (DELIH)
- [Moon Essence.] (LUNIYAH)
Skill = Root Extension (20). (Grade E)
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“I possess 1000000 Pure Essence,” Ruvick said, “I would like to try.”
As Ruvick said it, a word appeared across his vision.
-Skill Mix-
(Choose Your Essence. Max 5)
Nue's eyes widen, and she stares blankly at Ruvick. “That’s.. An incredible number, Master Ruvick. More than any elves ever gathered in our entire lives. But you need to choose your essence wisely. I don’t know how many you can mix, I suggest you wait until we arrive in the village. So you could get proper guidance.”
“How far are we from the village?”
“Three days,” Nue said. “We’re here to set a small outpost, and to scout dark elves if any come near.” She paused, looking behind him. Nue stood pushing Ruvick aside lightly, her eyes squinting, trying to make out something. “It’s a signal.. That dancing fiery water!” She pointed out.
Ruvick could not see anything other than the lifeless, ashen-gray landscape filled with dead trees and blackened ground. “I could not see it,” Ruvick said. Fiery water, probably a skill combined from fire essence and water essence. He checked their old tongue. ROH and LIM. No overlap letter.
Nue grasped Ruvick with both of her hands. Her face contorted in indecision, looking to the dying land and him. “Master Ruvick, I could not escort you to our village, our number is small. If my party were to survive, they would need my power. Yet, I still must insist that you go to our village immediately. We could not afford to lose you.”
Ruvick grasped her hand and gave a nod. He would not be able to help regardless. “I will have the Grand Root to guide me, you do not need to worry. Fortune be with you, Nue.”
Nue smiled at him, she pulled up her cloak, and in a blur of speed. She rushed toward the death forest.
Ruvick turned, preparing to send a root down for guidance.
“Master Ruvick!” Nue called. She waved at him from quite a far distance, considering it's been less than five seconds since she ran. “Please do be careful! There are plenty of monsters in the forest! Many sentinels were wiped out. The monster will act up!” Before Ruvick could reply. She had already darted away.
(Root Extension)
Ruvick pressed both of his palms into the ground. Shooting a root deep inside, it did not take long for him to connect with another root. ‘Greetin-‘
‘Dodge!’ A sharp energy pulse like a shock into him.
What?
Ruvick heard a deep visceral roar behind him, loud footsteps crackling against the ground, charging toward him. Ruvick turned to see a huge creature slam into him, its tusks stabbing deep into his trunk, sending him flying.
He crashed against a tree. His head bounced from the impact, causing a shooting pain through. Ruvick looked down at his stomach. A hole just jutted through. Splintering pain carved inside him, his core blazed like a burning wood.
HP: 350/500
MP: 180/200
Ruvick stood, propping himself up against the tree. Nil sprawled beside the huge boar. The boar stomped its leg, ready to charge again as its teeth growled toward Ruvick. Did it wait until Nue left? That seems to be the case. This monster is quite intelligent. Years of being hunted down by sentinels and wood elves have probably made them so.
[Ashen Boar Lvl 45]
Surviving monsters in this forest will always have a high level. They are somehow monsters who manage to evade death even with the might of Sentinel and wood elves, along with Grand Root's information.
The boar seems to hesitate, still stomping on the ground with its hind legs. Ruvick has the looks of a sentinel. It might be the reason for its hesitation. His mind raced for a way to survive. He has to draw a skill.
-Skill Mix-
(Choose Your Essence. Max 5)
Essence.. What to choose? His mind went on a tirade.
The beast howled, in motion to continue its charge.
He needs to kill it, Death Essence it is.
Light Essence, Wood Essence, Plant Essence, Fire Essence
He has chosen the other four essences. The boar charged.
-Drawing Skill-
Wood Necromancer (100). (Grade E)
Pure Essence: 0.
Ruvick's core lurched in dread; this is not a fighting skill.
The glinting tusk of the boar lurches toward him. He threw himself aside. Air cracked, and a loud boom echoed as the boar crashed against the tree with its tusks stuck inside.
Not wasting time, he stood running for Nil. Ruvick grasped the spear, holding it in two hands as he rushed toward the boar, which struggled to get its tusks out.
Ruvick thrust the spear into the boar's side. Nil pierce through its hide. Drawing a high wail from it. He drew Nil back and thrust again. Another cry rose from the boar. This time, Ruvick did not pull Nil back; he shoved Nil deeper, sticking it. Releasing Nil, he put his palm against the first wound he created.
(Root Extension)
The boar squelched as Ruvick's root made its way, climbing inside its body, navigating through innards. Blood resist Ruvick, threatening to throw him out. But he resisted; the boar heart should be close. Then he found it, the heart thrummed with life, beating, sending blood to support the boar's huge body. Ruvick stabbed deep inside it, bursting it apart. He coils around it, forming a small prison and choking it out. He felt life was gone as he finished.
The ashen boar went sprawling down.
(You Slain Ashen Boar Lvl 45)
(Level Up!)
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(Level Up!)
(Essence Obtained: Earth Essence Obtained… Converting Into Pure Essence…)
RUVICK LVL 11
RACE: TREANT
CLASS: Verdant Sapling
HP: 1105/1200
MP: 606/620
STR: 98
DEX: 88
INT: 55
Pure Essence: 1000.
Divine Blessing: Nature Symphony – The will of nature has unified your Essences. You may draw Skills from any Essences combination you possess, bypassing any overlapping Old Tongue.
Essence (8/100):
- [Death Essence.] (DECROPHOS)
- [Fire Essence.] (ROH)
- [Earth Essence.] (GAV)
- [Water Essence.] (LIM)
- [Plant Essence.] (LUPIH)
- [Light Essence.] (RENDESCE)
- [Wood Essence.] (DELIH)
- [Moon Essence.] (LUNIYAH)
Skill =
- Wooden Necromancer. (Grade E)
- Root Extension. (Grade D)
Ruvick breathed deeply, he ran his hand across the amber boar hide. It was beautiful, a red-gold color. He never noticed it once in their fight. His eye trailed toward its tusks. Something is wrong. Its tusks are not stuck. Wood coil around its neck, a motion away from snapping.
He looks up at the trees that save him. He knelt, sending his root down to start communication.
‘Thank you, you have saved my life.’ Ruvick whispered a jolt of energy through.
‘It's nothing, that monster must have possessed Earth's essence with some kind of hiding ability or something. Now that most of our Sentinels have burned down, these strong monsters will be a common occurrence.’ The tree thrummed.
‘How long would it take to produce the Sentinels?’ He asked.
‘That entirely depends on trees whose have Life Essence and Wood Essence. All of them have begun creating. The first batch will focus on speed rather than quality, they will be done in two days. As much as we wanted to rush them.. It takes deep cultivation to gather Pure Essence, well, other than killing. So these wood elves will buy time for them.’
‘I might be able to bolster our number,’ Ruvick hummed. He severed the root, standing up to inspect the ashen boar corpse.
“Rise.”
(Wooden Necromancer)