The Hunt for Herbs [||]

The map glowed once more, guiding him to the third herb: Gloamfern. It grew at the bottom of old trees, their trunks covered in glowing symbols. Kai had heard many stories about these trees, and he knew they were dangerous, not friendly at all.

The path became steeper as he climbed, heading toward the spot on the map. The air turned colder, and the forest seemed silent, as if holding its breath. After what felt like a long time, he reached a flat area.

In the middle of the flat land was a giant tree, its bark covered in glowing, pulsing symbols. The air around it crackled with energy. At the base of the tree, among its thick roots, were patches of Gloamfern. The silver leaves sparkled softly, as if they were catching some light that couldn't be seen. m

Kai moved carefully, his body tight with tension. He knelt down to pick the herb, but as soon as his fingers touched it, the glowing runes lit up brighter, and the ground shook under him.

Suddenly, the tree came to life with a loud roar. Its branches snapped through the air like huge tentacles. One of them hit the ground next to him, throwing dirt and rocks everywhere.

Kai quickly rolled to the side to avoid another attack and pulled out his knife. The tree's roots began to rise up from the earth, twisting like snakes. One of them wrapped around his ankle, pulling him off his feet.

He swung his knife at the root, but the blade struggled to cut through its tough bark. Desperate, he grabbed a small explosive from his pouch. He quickly lit the fuse and tossed it at the tree's base.

The explosion wasn't huge, but it was powerful enough to sever several roots and stun the tree. Seizing the moment, Kai grabbed the Gloamfern and ran as fast as he could, the tree's angry roars echoing behind him.

When he finally reached the edge of the forest, he collapsed to his knees, holding the three herbs tightly in his hands.

"Just three," he muttered, staring at them. "And the forest nearly killed me." 

It was a strange experience, to say the least. His senses felt sharper, and his thoughts clearer than ever before. Flashes of images danced in his mind—images he had seen countless times, but only now did he realize they were there.

"There's so much to learn..." His mind raced, struggling to hold onto every piece of knowledge he had ever gained. "Why do those things have powers?" His brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of everything he could remember.

Progress: Congratulations, you have just discovered Gloamfern herb.

Strength: 16

Dexterity: 15

Intelligence: 18

He shook his head, trying to steady himself as he got back on his feet. Tightening his grip on his father's map, he studied the faint glowing marks that showed where the remaining herbs were located. The path ahead twisted deeper into the forest, where the air turned colder, and the moonlight barely filtered through the thick canopy. It felt like the forest was holding its breath, as if warning him that the worst was still to come.

The names of the next herbs glowed faintly on his screen: Ebonmoss, Hemlock Veil, Nightwillow, and Duskbloom. His breath formed a mist in the cold air as he read the details. The map showed that Ebonmoss grew on ancient ruins, Hemlock Veil hid in poisonous groves, Nightwillow flourished near dark waters, and Duskbloom only bloomed with the last light of dusk.

The map led Kai to a clearing, where ancient, crumbling pillars were scattered like forgotten giants. The ruins gave off an eerie, almost unnatural glow, their surfaces etched with shifting runes that seemed to move and pulse, as if alive. The air was thick with a strange energy, and the ground beneath Kai's boots felt damp and soft, sinking with each step he took. His footfalls echoed in the unnatural stillness, amplifying the silence around him. It felt as if the forest itself was watching, waiting.

At the base of the largest pillar, Kai spotted the Ebonmoss. Its black, velvet-like texture gleamed faintly in the dim light, an almost otherworldly glow surrounding it. As he crouched down, ready to harvest it, a warning flashed on his screen: "Caution: Burns on contact. Use tools." He sighed, irritated but cautious, and pulled a pair of gloves and a jar from his inventory.

Just as he was about to scrape the moss into the jar, the ground trembled beneath him. A deep growl vibrated through the air, sending a chill down his spine. From behind a broken wall of stone, a shadowy creature emerged. It was panther-like, sleek and dark, with glowing crimson eyes that locked onto him. Mist coiled around its body, swirling like smoke, as it slowly advanced.

Kai's heart hammered in his chest, and his hand instinctively reached for his knife. "Always a guardian," he muttered under his breath, knowing all too well that something ancient and dangerous always watched over these places. 

The creature lunged without warning, its claws slicing through the air just inches from Kai's face. He barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side to avoid its deadly strike. His knife flashed in the dim light, and he slashed at its flank. The blade connected, but the creature didn't even flinch. Instead, it snarled and leapt again, its glowing eyes filled with fury.

Kai was pushed closer to the pillar as the fight intensified. His mind raced, looking for any advantage. In a sudden burst of adrenaline, he grabbed the Ebonmoss with his spatula and scraped it into the jar as fast as he could, ignoring the searing heat that threatened to burn through his gloves. The panther roared, its claws scraping loudly against the stone as it charged toward him again.

Without thinking, Kai turned and sprinted toward the tree line, the creature's furious growls echoing in his ears. The panther hesitated at the edge of the clearing, snarling at him, but it did not follow. It stayed, its glowing eyes watching him with a mixture of rage and something else... a warning, perhaps.

Kai didn't stop to think. His heart still raced, and his breath came in sharp gasps as he reached the safety of the trees. His screen flashed, confirming what he had come for: "Ebonmoss collected." But the eerie sense of being watched lingered, and Kai couldn't shake the feeling that something far darker still lay hidden in the depths of the ruins.

Progress: Congratulations, you have just discovered Ebonmoss herb.

Strength: 18

Dexterity: 17

Intelligence: 20

The path to Hemlock Veil wound through a forest of twisted, gnarled trees, their branches heavy with thick vines that hung like dark curtains. The air thickened with a bitter, almost suffocating scent that made Kai's head spin, the stench so strong it felt as though the very trees were poisoning the air around him. The map led him deeper into the forest, guiding him to a grove where pale, wispy mist clung to the damp ground. In the eerie gloom, clusters of sickly white flowers bloomed, their petals nearly translucent, like specters of the forest.

The Hemlock Veil was unmistakable: delicate fronds shimmered faintly, their pale glow casting an almost supernatural light. Despite the beauty of the plant, there was something inherently unsettling about it, as if it didn't belong in this world.

As Kai stepped closer, a warning flashed on his screen: "Toxic spores detected. Equip mask." His heart skipped a beat as he scrambled through his inventory. He quickly found the mask and strapped it on, the filter hissing softly as it sealed against his face. His breaths now came through the mask, each one muffled, but at least he could breathe safely.

Carefully, Kai reached for a pair of shears, the metal gleaming in the faint light. But just as he was about to clip the first frond, the mist stirred unnaturally, swirling around his feet. The temperature dropped, and the grove grew colder, the air turning thick and oppressive. Faint whispers, barely audible at first, echoed through the trees, sending a shiver down his spine. He turned quickly, but when he looked around, the grove appeared empty—except for the shifting shadows among the trees.

His hands shook as he cut the first frond of Hemlock Veil and placed it gently in a sealed pouch. But as he reached for more, the mist thickened, and the shadows seemed to move closer, creeping along the ground like dark tendrils. And then, emerging from the mist, figures appeared—spectral humanoids with hollow, black eyes and limbs twisted in unnatural angles. They flickered like broken holograms, their forms unstable and shimmering, their mouths opening in silent screams that sent a chill through Kai's bones.

Instincts screamed at him to run, but the grove itself felt like it was holding him in place. The roots beneath his feet shifted, as if they were alive, and tripped him as he tried to step back. His heart raced as he stumbled, the figures drawing nearer. The whispers grew louder, more frantic.

Without thinking, Kai reached into his inventory and hurled a vial of flame oil at the nearest specter. It exploded in a burst of fire, lighting up the mist with a fierce, bright light. The specters recoiled, their forms flickering and warping in the flames. Kai seized the opportunity, grabbing more fronds of Hemlock Veil and clipping them as quickly as he could, his hands moving almost too fast to be steady.

The mist thickened around him, the shadows closing in once more. Kai could feel the temperature drop even further, the air growing thick and suffocating. But he didn't stop. With a final, desperate lunge, he dashed toward the edge of the grove, his heart pounding in his chest. As he broke through the tree line, the mist finally began to thin, the whispers fading into silence. The air grew still again, the oppressive weight lifting from his shoulders.

He didn't stop until he was well outside the grove, gasping for breath. His screen flashed: Hemlock Veil collected. A sense of uneasy relief washed over him. The forest had tested him, and he had barely escaped.

Progress: Congratulations, you have just discovered Hemlock Veil herb.

Strength: 20

Dexterity: 19

Intelligence: 22

Kai followed the map to the edge of a swamp, the water as black as ink, its surface reflecting nothing but darkness. The air was thick with the stench of decay, a foul, lingering smell that made his stomach turn. Each step he took sent a sickening squelch through the soft, wet ground, and the occasional plop of unseen creatures breaking the surface of the water sent shivers crawling down his spine.

At the swamp's edge, the Nightwillow stood, its shadowy tendrils twisting above the water. Its dark sap oozed from the weeping branches, dripping into the black water below. The plant's eerie presence seemed to warp the very air around it, as if it didn't belong in this world.

Crouching down, Kai carefully reached out to collect the sap, the faint glow from his map illuminating the task at hand. But just as his fingers brushed against the Nightwillow's bark, the surface of the swamp began to churn violently. Bubbles burst from the water, and a low, menacing growl filled the air. From the depths of the swamp, a monstrous, leech-like creature emerged, its segmented body glistening in the dim light. Its rows of sharp teeth snapped hungrily in the air, and its beady eyes locked onto Kai with unnatural focus.

Kai's heart raced as he gripped his knife tightly, preparing for the inevitable. The creature lunged at him, its body stretching toward him with terrifying speed. Kai barely managed to sidestep the attack, his knife slashing through the air as he aimed for the creature's slimy hide. The blade struck, but the creature barely flinched. It writhed, hissing, and coiled again, ready to strike with deadly force.

Desperation set in as Kai scanned his surroundings. Near the roots of the Nightwillow, glowing fungi grew in clusters. Without a second thought, he grabbed a handful, crushing them quickly. A pungent cloud of spores exploded into the air, filling the swamp with their foul odor.

The creature recoiled instantly, its movements slowing as the spores took effect. Kai seized the opportunity, his hands trembling but steady enough to scoop the Nightwillow's sap into a vial. He barely noticed the creature thrashing in the background, still fighting the effects of the spores.

With the sap secured, the leech-creature let out a final, desperate screech before retreating back into the murky depths of the swamp. Kai didn't wait to see if it would return. He turned quickly, rushing back to solid ground, his breath coming in sharp gasps.

He didn't look back. Nightwillow collected.

Progress: Congratulations, you have just discovered Nightwillow herb.

Strength: 22

Dexterity: 21

Intelligence: 24

The forest grew darker with each step as Kai moved toward the clearing marked on his map. The Duskbloom only bloomed under the last light of the setting sun, and he knew he had to move quickly. The air seemed to thrum with an uneasy energy, as if the forest itself was aware of his presence. When he finally reached the clearing, the faint golden rays of the dying sun illuminated a small cluster of flowers with glowing orange petals.

Kai felt a wave of relief wash over him. But it was fleeting.

As he stepped closer to the Duskbloom, the ground suddenly erupted. Roots shot up from the earth, twisting and writhing, forming a massive tree-like creature with glowing green eyes and bark-covered limbs. Its roar was deep and guttural, shaking the air as it lashed out with thick, vine-like appendages.

Kai's heart raced. He barely managed to dodge the first strike, rolling away just as a root slammed into the ground where he had been standing. His knife was in his hand before he knew it, and he slashed at the attacking vines, but the creature's sheer size and power made it nearly impossible to fight head-on. It seemed to tower over him, its limbs reaching out like hungry serpents.

Desperation hit as he scanned the clearing for anything that might give him an advantage. His eyes landed on a cluster of glowing mushrooms near the creature's base. The idea hit him in an instant. Without a moment's hesitation, he picked up a rock and hurled it at the mushrooms. The impact released a burst of luminous spores into the air, filling the clearing with a dazzling light.

The creature recoiled, its movements slowing as the spores clouded around it. Its limbs moved sluggishly, as if the very essence of the spores was sapping its strength. Kai's pulse quickened. This was his chance.

He rushed toward the Duskbloom, careful to avoid the still-moving roots. With quick, practiced hands, he plucked its glowing orange petals and carefully placed them in his pouch. The creature let out a weakened roar, its energy fading as the spores continued to take effect. But Kai didn't stop. He didn't look back.

With the Duskbloom safely in his inventory, he turned and sprinted back into the forest, the shadows of the trees closing in around him. His breath came in heavy gasps as he pushed through the underbrush, not daring to slow down.

When he finally reached a large tree, he collapsed against its trunk, his chest heaving. The herbs pulsed faintly in their pouches, their energy alive and vibrant. He had done it—he had collected all seven herbs.

But as he sat there, staring into the darkened depths of the forest, a chill crept up his spine. The woods seemed still, too still. Something felt off, as if he wasn't alone, as if the forest was watching him. 

Progress: Congratulations, you have just discovered Duskbloom herb.

System Message: Congratulations, Nyx! You have successfully achieved Level 9/1500.

System Status:

Player: Nyx

Level: 9/1500

HP: 180/180

MP: 100/100

Stamina: 180/180

Strength: 24

Dexterity: 23

Intelligence: 26

Charisma: 8

Luck: 9

Quest Progress: Quests Completed: 3

Upcoming Quest: Plant 7 herbs!!