Rain stirred awake to the dim light filtering through the forest canopy. His body ached slightly from sleeping on the hard ground, but he pushed past the discomfort. There was no time to waste. He had to set out early if he wanted to secure enough food to st him longer than just a single meal.

  Rising to his feet, he stretched his sore limbs and quickly set to work, gathering his supplies. His previous failures had taught him valuable lessons—where to pce traps, how to disguise them, and the mistakes that had let prey slip away. Today, he would do better.

  Moving swiftly, Rain retraced his steps to the areas he had scouted the day before. He took extra care with the tension of the snares, ensuring the knots were tight and the triggers were sensitive enough to spring at the slightest movement. He experimented with different pcements, setting some near thick underbrush where animals might hide and others along the narrow trails they used.

  Hours passed, and Rain checked his traps with cautious optimism. His patience was rewarded—one snare had caught a hare cleanly, its body hanging limply in the noose. Another had trapped a second hare, though it had struggled enough to disturb the dirt around it. A third trap had even managed to catch a small bird.

  He exhaled in relief. This was more than yesterday. More than enough for today and tomorrow.

  Hauling his catch back to his camp, he quickly got to work preparing the meat. The fire crackled as he roasted the hare, its scent filling the air. When he finally took a bite, the meat was slightly tougher than he expected, but the taste was satisfying.

  As he ate, his thoughts drifted to the others. 'Did they find shelter? Food? Are they even alive?' He had no way of knowing, but for now, survival came first.

  While Rain sat near the campfire, letting his meal settle, his hands worked steadily.

  Rain ran his fingers along the length of the wood, feeling for imperfections. It needed to be sturdy but flexible—something that wouldn’t snap under tension. He had chosen a branch he picked up earlier, testing its bend before settling on it.

  Using his knife, he carefully shaved away the bark, exposing the smooth, pale wood beneath. He worked slowly, ensuring the curve was even. Every so often, he ran his hand along its length again, feeling the shape take form.

  Next, he needed a string. He pulled out some sinew from the hares he had caught earlier. It was tough and fibrous—perfect for a bowstring once dried and twisted. He stretched it out, rubbing it between his fingers to warm it before braiding it into a single, strong cord.

  Once the string was ready, he notched grooves into both ends of the bow, securing the sinew tightly. He tested the tension, pulling it back slightly. The wood flexed, but it held. Not perfect, but it would do.

  Now, arrows. He gathered straight sticks, trimming and sharpening them into points. For fletching, he used thin slivers of bark, tying them carefully to the back of each arrow to stabilize their flight.

  When he was done, he held the bow up to the light, examining his work. It wasn’t the best weapon, but it was his. It would make things easier. More efficient.

  ‘This will make things easier.'

  When Rain was finished, he stood up and packed his supplies. Using the hide from the skinned hares, he fashioned makeshift pouches and carefully pced the cooked meat inside one of them.

  The day was still young as he set off, heading south with a steady pace.

  Rain moved south, his steps steady but unhurried. The forest stretched endlessly before him, its dense canopy filtering the light into a soft, shifting glow. Every so often, he paused, drawing an arrow from his crude quiver and nocking it against the bowstring.

  He took aim at small targets—a thick leaf hanging from a low branch, a patch of exposed bark, a moss-covered rock. Each shot was a test, a refinement of his technique. His fingers pulled the sinew taut, feeling the tension ripple through the wood. He released.

  The first few arrows wobbled, some missing entirely. Others struck their targets but without much force. He adjusted his grip, his stance, the way he pulled back the string. With each shot, he learned. With each miss, he improved.

  During one of his breaks, he picked up an arrow he had retrieved and examined the tip. ‘Too dull,’ he noted, pulling out his knife and sharpening it again. His tools were limited, but his patience was not.

  As he continued south, the bow felt more natural in his hands. His shots became steadier. The next time he aimed at a swaying leaf, the arrow struck true, piercing through it before lodging into the trunk behind it.

  "Not bad."

  He allowed himself a small nod of satisfaction before pressing on. There was still a long way to go.

  Rain pushed through the undergrowth, his pace steady but unhurried. The forest stretched endlessly in every direction, an expanse of gnarled roots, towering trees, and the occasional rustle of unseen creatures. He adjusted the bow on his back, feeling its weight settle into pce.

  Rain was in deep thought. He weighed his options carefully.

  'If I go back, I’ll have to pass through the Moss Weaver’s nest again… and I’ll be alone. But if I keep going, I’ll still be alone.'

  He exhaled sharply, eyes flicking toward the sky.

  'If they retreated, they’d be back at the vilge. But that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Going back isn’t just retracing my steps—it’s stepping right back into danger. The Moss Weavers nest, maybe even the Guardsman and who knows what else is lurking in this damned forest?'

  He clenched his fists.

  'But if they pushed forward, then I’m falling behind. Every second I stand here hesitating is a second they could be getting farther away. Did they even survive? Did Diego make it? Emily?'

  He clenched his jaw.

  'There’s no safe choice. Only the one I can live with.'

  Rain took a deep breath, his fingers tightening around hilt of his sword.

  'Going back is just as dangerous as moving forward. If they made it through, they wouldn’t waste time waiting around. If they’re still alive, they’re ahead of me.'

  His gaze settled on the path ahead, the dense forest stretching endlessly before him.

  'If I hesitate now, I’ll never catch up. I don’t know what’s waiting for me, but standing still won’t change anything.'

  He adjusted the pouch at his waist, making sure his supplies were secure.

  'I’ll keep moving. If they’re alive, I’ll find them. And if they’re not… then I’ll make it out alone.'

  Rain took a step forward, disappearing deeper into the unknown.

  Hours passed as Rain continued his cautious trek through the forest. The faint trail had grown colder, the disturbances in the underbrush less frequent.

  The sun dipped lower, casting long shadows as evening approached.

  Rain kept moving, his senses sharpening as a nagging feeling settled in—something was following him.

  He looked behind him, scanning the area. The forest remained still, the usual sounds of the wilderness now drowned by the unsettling quiet.

  He halted, muscles tensing, and reached for his bow. With practiced ease, he pulled an arrow from his makeshift pouch, nocking it against the string. His eyes scanned the trees, his breath slow and measured as he prepared to shoot.

  He shot an arrow, sending it straight into the darkness. He only knew it had struck something when the sharp sound of gss shattering reached his ears, followed by a shriek and the crashing of tumbling wood.

  Rain put his bow away, resting it on his back. Just from those sounds alone, he had already deduced what was following him.

  The sound of shattering gss—it was the core. The shriek was one he had heard before, and the crashing wood? Only wooden beasts made that sound.

  Only one wooden beast that Rain knew of had a core.

  "Forsakened." Rain muttered under his breath.

  He unsheathed his sword as he saw numerous red eyes glowing in the darkness.

  The Forsakened came out of the darkness, their humanoid wooden bodies twisting and turning. There were many but not in the numbers that Rain couldn't handle—especially now that's he's an Essence Whisperer.

  Rain poured his essence into his feet, executing a quick step that brought him in front of the Forsakened.

  He stabbed one in its core, feeling the resistance give way as the bde pierced deep. Moving swiftly, he jerked his head sideways just in time to avoid an elongated limb from one of the beasts, the sharp tip grazing the air where his face had been.

  "Whoa, that was close eh?" Rain muttered mockingly to the Forsakened

  He kicked one of the Forsakened that was closing in on him, sending it stumbling backward. Without hesitation, he drew his dagger, and with a quick motion, hurled it straight toward the creature’s core. The bde found its mark, sinking deep into the glowing red core, and the Forsakened let out a shuddering gasp before colpsing to the ground, lifeless.

  Two Forsakened charged at Rain from opposite sides, their limbs extending like whips, moving with lethal speed. He quickly assessed the threat, his mind already calcuting the most efficient way to survive.

  The first attack came from the left—a sharp strike aimed directly at his ribs. With a swift motion, Rain brought his sword up, meeting the attack with a solid block. The force of the blow rattled his arm, but his stance held firm. He wasn’t just relying on strength, he was drawing on his essence, making sure his bance was perfect. As he deflected the strike, he pivoted, barely dodging the second Forsakened’s arm as it swiped at his head.

  Without missing a beat, Rain leapt into the air, pushing off the ground with all his strength. He twisted mid-air, his sword raised high. The Forsakened below him, unable to change its trajectory fast enough, was wide open. With a swift, downward ssh, Rain cleaved through the creature's chest. His sword cut through its wooden frame like a knife through butter. The creature's core, located at the center of its chest, cracked open, and in a fsh of red, it colpsed in a heap, lifeless.

  He nded lightly, crouching as his feet hit the ground. In the same movement, his eyes scanned the remaining Forsakened, calcuting his next move.

  "Well I do want to try one thing."

  He stood up from his crouch, eyeing the remaining Forsakened with a smirk creeping onto his face. "Would you all be kind enough to be my training dummies for this attack?" he asked, his voice steady but ced with mockery.

  The Forsakened didn't respond, of course—no words ever came from their wooden mouths. They simply stared at him with their glowing red eyes, their limbs twitching with aggression, preparing to charge.

  Rain let out a low chuckle, the sound carrying across the stillness of the clearing. The tension in the air thickened as the Forsakened began to move again, their bodies creaking with every shift. But Rain wasn’t concerned. He could feel the power of his essence swirling inside him, gathering in the sword he gripped tightly. The energy surged as he funneled it into the bde, the metal glowing faintly with a dangerous blue light.

  He finished his charge and swung his sword in a sideways arc, replicating Diego's attack from the first night they were attacked by the Forsakened, although weaker. The sword swept through the air, cutting across multiple Forsakened with a satisfying crack as it split their core and wooden body. The creature stumbled back, its limbs twitching before it colpsed in a heap.

  Rain didn’t stop there. He quickly readied himself for the next attack, adjusting his stance. He could feel the rush of essence still surging through his body, his grip tightening on the hilt as he prepared for the next wave.

  He swung again, channeling his essence into the bde as the sword crackled with energy. The moment it made contact with the air, a wave of force expanded outward, slicing through multiple Forsakened in one clean motion. The area around him seemed to blur for a moment as the wave cut through them—wood splintering and glowing red cores shattering, the air thick with the smell of wood and the sound of cracking limbs. Several Forsakened staggered, their bodies breaking apart at the joints, their glowing red eyes flickering as they crumbled to the ground.

  "Weaker but faster than his..."

  The Forsakened we're all wiped out

  Rain stood in the center of the chaos, breathing heavily but focused. His heart raced, but the moment he’d been waiting for—this feeling of control—washed over him. The power of the attack felt good, a reminder of how far he’d come.