Next Steps

Ashur stumbled back towards the cave, his grip on the rabbit's limp body tight. The forest that was previously eerily silent now seemed alive with unseen danger. Every rustle of the leaves in the wind, sent his heart racing. All the adrenaline from the fight had now worn off, leaving him abnormally aware of his surroundings and a lingering phantom pain in his side, despite his wounds having been mysteriously healed.

Finally reaching the cave, Ashur dropped the rabbit near the entrance and slumped against the wall, his breath heaving. His sword clattered to floor beside him, its sliver blade now streaked with red. He stared at the red and silver blade, his thought racing.

"What the hell was that?" he murmured, while wiping half dried blood off of his face "Killer rabbits with knife like horns? energies, vessels this is all crazy."

He looked over at the lifeless rabbit, remembering how close fast the danger had escalated. What if its initial attack had hit something important? It was just a rabbit yet it had nearly killed him, if a mere rabbit is a predator in this place how strong would an already strong animal have become.

Taking a minute to calm his self. Ashur turned his attention to the notifications he had received previously. Right now he needed strength more than anything, so he hoped this system could help him obtain it.

[Rabbit Slain]

[Energy (?????) received.]

[Due to inability to absorb Energy (?????), Ashur (Human) will receive available Energy (Life).]

"Energy" Ashur muttered. "The system mentioned Universal energy earlier, but how do I absorb or use it"

He looked down at his side. His previously wounded side was completely healed, leaving only dried blood as a sign it had ever been there. It had been healed by that strange feeling when he killed the rabbit, meaning it was probably healed by the Energy (Life) that he received thus healing his injury and weariness.

How it had done this Ashur had no idea it could be like HP in a video game, but he was reluctant to risk anything on game knowledge from earth, because the injury had felt all to real for Ashur's liking. There was also the Energy (?????) that he had been unable to absorb, if Ashur was right this was due to his vessel being (Hollow), which seemed to be limiting his abilities according to the system. If he could remove this effect, he would have a path to survival at least.

Ashur gazed upon the rabbit again, if it had energy other would as well. Maybe that would be his best bet to remove (Hollow), but how was he supposed to go about this, kill everything he saw hoping to absorb energy. The mysterious text hadn't given him any instructions so he had to figure things out on his own.

He sighed, leaning his head back against the cave wall, staring up at the cave ceiling. The weight of his situation pressed down on him, threatening to overwhelm him. He was alone in an mysterious world, surrounded by dangers he couldn't even begin to comprehend. And yet despite the fear and uncertainty, part of him felt a flicker of excitement. This was a chance to start over, to become something more than he had been on Earth. If he could survive, if he could unlock his vessel maybe he could become greater than anything he had ever known.

But, first he needed to survive.

Ashur pushed himself to his feet and grabbed his sword, doing his best to clean the blood off on the grass near the cave. If he was going to survive, he needed food and water it had been over a day since he had either. The rabbit would provide meat, but he would need to find clean water later.

He started by trying to skin and gut the rabbit with the sword, but after struggling with the length of the sword Ashur had an idea using the sword he cut the knife like horn from its head. With this he used the horn to skin and gut the rabbit amateurishly. It was messy work, and he had to hold back the urge to gag, but he got it done in the end.

With the meat prepared, he went about setting a fire with the wood he already collected the previous day. Setting the fire was another problem, he knew how to set fires without a lighter or flint and steel from Scouts as a kid, but in practice it took him over half an hour to get it going. Once the flames caught, he skewered the rabbit meat on a stick and lay it over the hot embers, as the meat cooked Ashur's stomach growled.

He hadn't realized how hungry he was until now. While he waited for the food to cook, he turned his attention to the system.

'Status'

[

Name: Ashur

Species: Human

Vessel: Hollow (95%), Life (5%)

]

[New Discovery: To remove the (Hollow) effect on the vessel your existence in the universe must be reaffirmed by absorbing Energy (Life) to temper the vessel.] 

The new text caught Ashur's attention. He was surprised to see this new asset of the system, that seemed to explain new information.

'The system can explain then, but only with information from my experience I'm guessing.'

Ashur frowned his mind racing with questions. The system was frustratingly vague most of the time, leaving him to piece together its mechanics on his own, but one thing was clear if he wanted to survive and grow stronger, he needed to find procure energy and that meant facing more creatures like the horned rabbit.

The thought sacred him, but he pushed this fear aside. He didn't have a choice, if he wanted to remove the (Hollow) effect and unlock his vessel, he would need to take risks.

By the time the meat was cooked, Ashur had made up his mind. He would use the cave as a temporary base, venturing out to hunt and gather resources during the day and returning to rest at night. He would hunt until the (Hollow) effect was gone and then see what this vessel could do from there.

Grabbing the skewered meat off the fire, Ashur felt a sense of determination settle over him. This place seemed dangerous, but it also felt like an opportunity to escape the confines of normalcy and Ashur felt no reason to waste it.

When he finished eating, Ashur stomped out the fire and settled back against the cave wall with his sword resting across his lap. The suns were setting, casting long shadows across the valley. The forest was quiet once more, but Ashur knew better than to let his guard down.

As he closed his eyes, he thought of the message that had brought him here "The potential of Humanity is ready to bloom or wither." He didn't know what was out there, but he was determined to bloom.

And, so with the sword in hand and the fires warmth fading, Ashur drifted into a restless sleep ready to face whatever challenges awaited him when the suns rose again.

//

The next morning Ashur awoke to the sound of birdsong. He blinked, disoriented for a moment before remembering where he was. The cave was dimly lit by the first rays of sunlight filtering in through the entrance. He stretched out his arms, his body stiff from sleeping on the hard ground and stood with his sword.

As he stepped outside, the valley stretched out before him, bathed in the golden light of the twin suns. The forest was alive with the sounds of wildlife, a stark contrast to the eerie silence of the previous day. Ashur took a deep breath the cool morning air filling his lungs.

Today he would begin his hunt in earnest. He would hunt and gather energy. He would learn to survive in this new world. And one day, he would uncover the truth behind the system, the (Hollow) effect and the potential of humanity.

With the sword in hand, Ashur set off into the forest.

Ashur moved cautiously through the forest, his senses heightened. The memory of the horned rabbit keeping him on edge. This world was harsh, but it was also alive in a way Earth had never been. Every rustle of leaves, every distant call of an unknown creature reminded him that he was no longer in a place bound by the rules he once knew.

As he walked, he kept an ear out for the sound of water. His throat was dry; it had been at least a day and a half since he last drank, and he knew dehydration would only weaken him further as time went on. After a while, he heard the faint trickle of running water. Following the sound, he soon found a small stream cutting through the forest. The water was clear and cool, and he knelt at its bank, cupping his hands to bring the refreshing liquid to his mouth. He drank deeply, relief washing over him as the coolness soothed his parched throat.

After getting his fill of the cool water, Ashur looked around noticing some kind of track in the soft mud bordering the stream. It made sense animals would also have to drink, and now Ashur had a lead for his first hunt.