Ruvick could see a waft of black tendril oozing out from the ashen boar. He could tell it was life, just like the ambient green light of his mother's passing. But this time, he converted those green lights into dark energy. He lifted his hand, and the black ooze spiral coalesced around his palm, life turned to death. Ruvick let them go inside the Ashen boar. They went in completely ignoring its tough skin.
Wood jutted out from the wound he had created, forming a spiky shape. Green vein crawled across the ashen red body of the boar. Ruvick could sense them forming an intricate maze where blood was supposed to flow. He felt a thrum of core cries inside where the heart was.
The green vein bulged, pulsing dark and green, taking turns like day and night. Those veins spread a wooden tendril slowly covering the boar's entire hide. Out of nowhere, a White flame burst from the tendril.
Ruvick took a step back, shielding himself from its intense heat. This fire is different from the one that consumed half of the forest. This one radiates a light as if you stood when the sun is at its brightest without any cover. Peeking through his hand, he made out a wooden coil around the boar's body, and the white blazing flame helped them spread faster, covering the huge boar.
The Ashen Boar stood, almost towering over Ruvick. Its body is made of wood, fitting it with a green vein slithering around connecting into its eyes. Those eyes shimmer with a bright white pupil. The creature breathed white flame, which went out as it let out a breath. It bowed to Ruvick, both of its tusks no longer gleaming, now covered with wood and a green gleam of energy.
Ashen Boar requested a name..
“A name? You want me to name you?” Ruvick asked, holding an arm across his stomach. As if seeking the comfort of his core. He had twisted a soul that was supposed to go through rebirth, trapping it.
The Ashen Boar gives a gruff nod. Its eyes looked toward him, but he could not see any emotion behind them.
“Ashar. How about it? To remind you of what you were.”
Ashar shows no reaction. He breathed through his nose, letting out white flame as if it were wind. Ruvick did not like that, his core twist at the chance of Ashar becoming a mindless being. That should not have happened. Yet, for now. Ruvick needs Ashar
(Wooden Necromancer)
Glossary (1/20):
- Ashen Boar
(Ashar. Lvl 42)
“You get to keep your strength, that’s good. We will need your power.” Ruvick said he brushed Ashar's neck, his wooden arm clacking against Ashar’s wooden skin. “Will you lend me your strength, Ashar?”
Ashar again just bowed his head. Ruvick will take that as an acknowledgment.
“Wait for me, I shall ask for guidance. Will you guard me, Ashar?” Ashar understood his request. He gave Ruvick a space to himself and went to pace behind him.
(Root Extension)
He sent a root down from a sitting position.
‘Did you create that through death essence child?’ The tree asked through its connecting root.
‘Yes, it's not a skill I wish to draw. But this skill will give us the number to quell any monster uprising. Along with facing the upcoming Dark Elves force’ Ruvick said.
‘How many can you raise with it?’
‘20’
‘That is not nearly enough, We currently have about 500 sentinels, one dying each minute, hunted down by monsters. The wood elves, they’re strong, but their number is less than 1000’ The tree thrummed, Ruvick felt his overwhelming worries. This tree had almost burned down in the fire, but now it still faces the chance of destruction.
‘What about the human? Are they willing to contribute to the defense?’ Ruvick asks.
‘The human is plenty, 5000 of them at least. But they're weak. Even now, they’re being hunted down at an alarming rate by the monster. We redirected our sentinel to help them. We lost most of our sentinels because they died protecting humans, escorting them to their main village’ The trees explained.
‘Send me to the nearby humans, I will help.’
‘The Grand Root has decided the next course of action for your child, You’re to go inside the Kobold Cave. Raise your level and Skill grade there.’
Ruvick is about to send a thrum of disagreement. But, raising his power is the most efficient way to save as many lives as possible. The Grand Root decision surely has been discussed thoroughly. He should follow it.
‘I understand, how far is this Kobold Cave?’ Ruvick asked.
‘Before that child, you need to beware of the bubble’
‘Bubble?’
‘When an essence gets very strong, they will bend the bubble of reality around them. Nil for example, do you know why the wood elves love her?’
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‘Nue did mention, she has only done good,’ Ruvick muttered.
‘Her life essence is so strong, she grows taller than any trees possibly could. She produces fruit that has great healing capability and offers it to the elves; no other fruit produced in this entire forest could match hers. It shouldn’t be possible. And lastly, she can push you out, creating a life that somehow transcended our way; she did it just like the humans and the elves did. And now, this ability of yours, it must have bent reality in some way.’
Ruvick's core jolted, a cold hand claw inside of him, leaving a deep, searing gap. He did the exact opposite of what his mother does. Instead of pushing a life, he pulls a death. What kind of bubble would this skill create? It's probably not something he has to worry about for now, considering the low grade.
‘Yet, even so. We need your skills. You think this skill of yours is a curse’ The tree said. That comes out as a statement rather than a question. Then Ruvick reminded, his root still attached to the trees. ‘It might be.. But do you know what they call a curse that helps?’
‘A blessing,’ Ruvick said. His core thrummed in agreement. Just like the blessing of half the forest. Allowing him to live. It cost them their life.
‘Go get stronger, for our sake, for yours as well. If you're guilty of pulling a life, then have them save hundreds. This one will lead you toward the kobold cave’ A sentinel appears. It stood with two legs, built for speed. Trunk slim and nimble like Ruvick.
(Sentinel. Lvl 45)
Ashar growled as he spotted the sentinel. His hind legs stomped down, ready to charge.
“Ashar, it’s a friend’ Ruvick called. The sentinel's eyes glowed with green light, it held a wooden stick.
‘Thank you, I shall be going now.’ After a brief goodbye from the tree, Ruvick severed their connection.
“Lead me,” Ruvick said. The sentinel nodded, pointing deeper into the forest, and it started running.
The forest echoed with silence, and only rustling leaves could be heard. Their footsteps betray the quiet. The Sentinel is fast, even with level-up Ruvick struggles to keep up, making sure it stays in his vision took everything out of him. Ashar rushed forward, trampling any vines blocking him. He made sure to keep pace with Ruvick.
Sunlight dapples against him, blinking out every time leaves block it. The on and off heat is a strange sensation to him. He could sense his body regenerate from the damage better with sunlight blanketing him. Perhaps he should request a time to rest first. But the Sentinel is too far to call out.
The sentinel stopped, its knees in a thick bush, watching something. It took Ruvick an entire minute to hide beside it. Ashar stays behind.
“Human,” Ruvick said, observing a young man with short red hair and a lean body standing. In his hand is a sword held in a death grip, facing a group of two Liyu.
The human face contorted with horror, sweat slicked his red hair. The sword shook in his arm. He moved backward without sparing a look behind, trapping himself against a tree trunk. His body shuddered in grim realization. He was no fighter.
(Liyu. Lvl 51)
(Liyu. Lvl 51)
These creatures can morph to their surrounding colour, making it their primary method to survive the Grand Root network. Their strongest weapon is their mastery of weapons, each born with a specific weapon bonded to them.
They are also called a creature of light; their original body gleams with a white iridescent glow. Rarely did they use it, as it brought unnecessary attention to them. Now their skin held the color of grass. Many of them died trying to hide on a tree branch. They have learnt to avoid touching any trees.
In their hand is a bright white light they cannot hide. Every time they summon their weapon, there’s no way to cover it. A Liyu held a blaring white sword in two hands just like the human in front of it, but with much more confidence. The other held a gleaming white spear, spear point ready to thrust.
They stood on two legs, their carapace is part of their body. One could easily mistake it for plated armor. Carapace also reaches their head, helmeting them like an insect's head.
“We're saving him’ Ruvick said, eyeing the Sentinel, who in turn gave him a nod.
Ruvick quickly examined his status.
HP: 1200/1200
MP: 620/620
He had recovered his health and mana. That was fast, faster than he had anticipated.
The situation cannot wait any longer. He had to draw a skill, a fighting one
Pure Essence: 1000.
-Skill Mix-
(Choose Your Essence. Max 5)
-Fire Essence.
Ruvick chose fire only. Hoping it would work.
“Aaahh!!!” The human screamed, and a clash of blades rang through the quiet forest.
Beside Ruvick. The Sentinel burst in a blur of leaves, with rod ready to strike.
“Ashar, go! Help them!”
The earth shook as a wooden boar burst through. it breathed out a bright flame, charging toward the Liyu.
-Drawing Skill-
Fire Enforcement (50). (Grade E)
Fire burst from Ruvick's body, red smothering fire coils around him. he felt the power of them thrumming inside. The image of her mother burning flashed in his mind. Ruvick shoved them down. His core choked at his action.
STR: 98 [+15] = 113
DEX: 88 [+25] = 113
INT: 55
Ruvick charged, and Nil burst into flame just as he did. From Nil spearpoint, a green glow overpowered the flame, it took over. Green flame radiated across the spear. The green flame consumes the red across Ruvick, making him glow bright green. His core cries in joy, Life pulses inside him.
STR: 98 [+15] [+30] = 143
DEX: 88 [+25] [+50] = 163
INT: 55
The spear Liyu jabs toward the sentinel, who effortlessly bats away any advance from the Liyu. If the Liyu gets too close, the Sentinel will jump back and attempt to circle it.
Ashar on the other hand, having a hard time dealing with the sword-wielding Liyu, every one of his charges was dodged easily. With every dodge, the Liyu left a deep gash across Ashar's body. Wood creaked every time the sword connected. As they kept repeating the exchange, they got farther away from Ruvick.
The Liyu go deeper into the forest, using trees to block Ashar's path. It expertly kept its distance from the tree, avoiding the possibility of root grab.
Ashar unable to get a decent speed for his charge, and the huge boar stumbles upon thick bushes and coiling roots. The Liyu meet him head-on, twisting their bodies and leaving five consecutive slashes across Ashar's body. Sword still held in form, the Liyu rush in, gorging Ashar's eyes with a stab.
Ashar stumbled back, gaining distance. The Liyu let him, it stood its ground, sword held in low guard. As Ashar screamed with a death growl. Ruvick tries to reach in time. But they’re too far.
The wooden boar charged, tusk aimed to puncture. At the last moment, the Liyu sidesteps Ashar. Bringing his sword up flawlessly, and rending it down. Decapitate Ashar's head with a veteran strike. His head fell to the ground, the root is lifeless inside it.
The battle ended fast; Ashar never stood a chance.
Fury swells inside Ruvick. But he saw the black tendril dissipating, turning into green bubbles of life, floating toward the sun.
Ashar is leaving for his next life, and the Liyu has freed him from Ruvick.
I’m sorry, may your next life bring you plenty of blessings.
Ruvick dipped his head up. He faced toward the Liyu. The Liyu's eyes stared down at Ruvick, through a dark carapace guarding its face..
He wondered what the Liyu thought of him. A death bringer or some sort. That does seem fitting.
The Liyu brought his sword on mid-guard, that bright sword point straight at him, like judgement itself.
Ruvick raised his green flaming spear in response. Fully intend to deliver death.