Fear and Escape I
{Here is a detailed description of you currently}
A window suddenly opened in front of my eyes revealing a detailed description of my current status
{Host Information}
Name: Aria Zarek
HP: 35/100
Mana: 0/100
Energy: 0/100
Core(s): Nature (Green) + Psychic (Viridian, Dark Green)
Tier: 1 (Low)
[Stats]
Strength: 10
Agility: 12
Willpower: 15
Stamina: 8
[Skills]
Vine Bind (Lv. 1): Control plants to trap or bind enemies.
Cost: 10 MP
Seedling Growth (Lv. 1): Encourage the rapid growth of plants in your immediate area.
Cost: 10 MP
Telekinesis Push (Lv. 1): Use psychic energy to push or move objects, including enemies.
Cost: 5 MP
Mind Focus (Lv. 1): Sharpen focus and awareness to improve mental clarity.
Cost: 5 MP
[Quests]
Escape Cage Captivity
Reward: +5 Stat Points
Defeat 5 Enemies Before the Sun Rises
Reward: New Skill: Symbiotic Recovery
Time Left: 3 hrs 21 min 10 sec
{System Notes}
Mana Points (MP) are required to use your skills. Your current MP is 0. Focus on gaining MP by sensing the mana around you. Your core affinity is Nature, and you are currently in a forest environment, which gives you an advantage.
To begin, sit cross-legged in a meditative position. Close your eyes and focus on the mana flowing around you. Slowly draw the clean mana towards you. Filter out the impurities and only absorb the clean mana into your core. Do not rush the process—taking in too much too quickly will harm you.
Your body Is weak at the moment. Proceed slowly and cautiously to avoid exhaustion or injury.
You are currently in a situation where your first task is to escape captivity. Completing this quest will reward you with valuable stat points.
The "Symbiotic Recovery" skill is essential for your survival—defeat the required number of enemies to unlock it.
Time left: 3hr 19min 28sec.
Oh no pressure at all WTF
"What happens when the the time runs out and I didn't complete the quest"
{Your punishment will remain unknown until your time runs up, I suggest you hurry my lady}
Ignoring the sarcastic system
I managed to fold my feet crossed leg, it was difficult given the situation and resting my hand on my legs while my fingers cup together to form a circle, because it felt right if im trying to meditate
I tried focusing my mind, this time not on my body but the area around, I couldn't see anything at first but slowly I felt the trees around me the grass beneath me the soil beneath, it felt amazing, I tried to draw the energy I felt from them and like a spell it obeyed and flowed towards me little dots like fireflies.
"I see it" I whispered.
White and black they came, surrounding me, I wanted only the white light radiating and it came, entering my body slowly making it's way to my core digesting it
It wasn't easy concentrating with effort trying to filter the good from the bad and one of the black mistakenly entered me, it was like a waging war formed inside my being as the rest rejected its uncleanness bringing me great pain as I clenched my teeth unwilling to loose concentration but the pain was unbearable as my eyes jot open and I spilled blood from my mouth
I held my chest, taking deep breath, calming myself down, my body feeling lighter than before. that was only one unclean mana that penetrated me, imagine have more than one mistakenly enters me, I could die.
"system"
"hm"
"interface" a glowing window as before presented in front of me
________________________________________________
Name: Aria Zarek
HP: 35/100
Mana: 65/100
Energy: 1/100
Core(s): Nature (Green) + Psychic (Viridian, Dark Green)
Tier: 1 (Low)
. . .
Quests]
Escape Cage Captivity
Reward: +5 Stat Points
Defeat 5 Enemies Before the Sun Rises
Reward: New Skill: Symbiotic Recovery
Time Left: 2 hrs. 17 min 20 sec
________________________________________________________________
I couldn't believe I'd already spent an hour working on this. It felt like mere minutes, though.
Okay, calm down. I'm getting the hang of this. I just need to escape this cage, then I'll figure everything else out after.
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes again. The skill "Vine Bind" had intrigued me from the start, so I focused my attention on any nearby branches or vines that might help. The problem was that my skill was still at level one, so my range was limited. I could only affect a five-meter radius at best.
Luckily, I sensed something nearby—just a meter away. I reached out mentally, feeling the vine's presence. Slowly, I began to manipulate it, drawing it towards me. It was a strange sensation—like tugging at something in the air, but it responded to me.
I can't believe I'm doing this.
The vine curled and twisted, slowly wrapping itself around the bars of the cage. It was delicate work, and I could feel the pressure of the cage resisting me. The bars didn't move, but the vine began to subtly shift them, inch by inch. The process was slow and exhausting, but I could feel it. The vine was responding, even if the result was barely visible.
Then, an idea sparked in my mind.
What if I use my other skill?
I remembered "Telekinesis Push," a skill I hadn't thought about using yet. I quickly activated it, focusing on the mana in my body, and poured it into the telekinesis skill. The moment I did, I extended my focus to the vine, adding a layer of force to it.
The vine, now strengthened, surged forward with newfound power. It made little squishy noises but it wasn't loud enough to alert my captors, I hope, I felt the bars shift slightly, the pressure building as the vine pulled with greater force. Slowly but steadily, the bars of the cage began to bend. The tension in the air was thick, but I pushed harder, feeding my mana into both skills, and the cage creaked under the force, shifting just enough that it no longer held me.
I crawled out of the opening I created, wincing as I tried to stand. My legs buckled under me the moment I attempted to put weight on them. They had been confined to the cramped space for so long, they barely remembered how to function.
{System alert ;
Quest complete:
Reward: +5 stat point }
It took a few minutes before I could finally stand, albeit shakily. One step at a time. I focused on keeping my movements slow and deliberate, careful not to make a sound that could alert my captors. To be honest, walking—if you could even call it that—felt like I was learning all over again, like an infant struggling to find balance.
As the pain in my legs shot through me, a memory from my past life briefly flashed in my mind. But I shoved it away quickly. This wasn't the time for those thoughts.
I forced myself to focus. My priority now was cutting the chain that kept me bound. But how? How could I get rid of these chains without alerting anyone?
I crouched low behind the tree, the one I had drawn the vines from, and drew in ten slow, steady breaths. Each one seemed to help clear the fog of panic in my mind, and as the last breath left my lungs, I finally felt some semblance of calm settle over me. It was time to think.
Five men. That's what my memory told me, although only one had truly stood out—the leader. The one with the mana core, the only one who held any real power among them. His affinity, from what I could tell, was air magic, an elemental force. There was something about his presence that made my spine prickle with unease. He was the one I needed to avoid at all costs.
Shifting my attention downward, I studied the chains that had kept me confined for so long. The moonlight caught on their rusty, corroded surface, revealing just how fragile they seemed. The idea hit me almost immediately—what if the rust was weak enough for the vines to break? It was worth a shot.
I focused on the Vine Bind skill once again, pulling the vines toward the chains. They slithered to the metal, wrapping themselves around the links with a mind of their own. Then, with every ounce of my concentration, I willed them to tighten, to squeeze, to strain against the rusted shackles.
At first, there was resistance, but then the sound of cracking metal filled the air, and the chains broke free. I couldn't help the breath of relief that escaped my lips.
My hands and feet, still sore and raw from the long hours of confinement, throbbed with pain. The skin was tender, reddened from the chains' constant pressure. But I was free. That's what mattered.
Suddenly, a voice cut through the silence.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
I froze, my heart hammering in my chest. The voice was unmistakable. It was one of the men from earlier—the one who had mocked me while I was in the cage. I had thought they were all asleep, lulled by the stillness of the night. But I was wrong.
I pulled back instinctively, moving around the tree to keep myself hidden, hoping to slip away into the shadows. But as I moved, I miscalculated. My back hit something solid, something I hadn't expected.
The cold air seemed to freeze in my lungs as I spun around. My gaze locked with the man in front of me, and a chill ran through me at the sight.
"Well… well now, if it isn't the princess."
The color drained from my face in an instant. His smirk sent a sickening wave of dread coursing through my veins. Before I could react, I felt a hand close around my wrist, pulling me backward, a rough yank that dragged me into his chest. I stumbled, disoriented, but his grip only tightened.
His breath was hot against my neck, making my skin crawl, and I could feel the warmth of his body pressing against mine. His eyes glinted with a mixture of malice and lust, and the look in them made my stomach turn.
"Let go of me!" I demanded, my voice cracking under the strain. I tried to pull away, but the pain in my arms and legs made movement difficult, and his hold on me was unyielding.
The fear that gripped me In that moment was unlike anything I had ever known. But I couldn't let them see it. I couldn't let them know how terrified I was. I had to find a way out.
Before I knew it, my hair was yanked violently backward, the sharp pull sending a jolt of pain through my scalp. My body was dragged through the dirt, the rough ground scraping against my skin, the sting only adding to the mounting fear.
I had thought he would drag me back to their tent, to whatever sickening plans they had in store, but no. This was different. He was pulling me further into the bushes, deeper into the forest where the shadows clung to the trees like ominous specters.
I struggled, digging my heels into the dirt, trying to push against the force that was dragging me forward, but it was no use. His grip was like iron, unrelenting. My breath hitched in my throat as the distance between me and the camp grew, and a gnawing feeling settled in the pit of my stomach when he stop yanking me and his companion pant zipper got loose
I had to fight back.