Heaven's Judgement

In the morning, the forest always felt strangely calm. Gentle echoes of distant shrieks mingled with the soft rustling of the canopy, while golden rays filtered through the leaves, casting shifting patterns across the forest floor.

To catch up to the trail of footprints, Soren had decided to start the day with a light jog. Last night's meal had restored his energy reserves, making it easier to pick up the pace today.

Aeternis, ever unhelpful, chimed in with a lazy scoff.

"Only peasants run. The mighty do not need to rush—time waits for them."

Soren ignored the comment. He didn't feel like arguing with a talking dagger. More importantly, he didn't want anyone to see him talking to himself and assume he'd gone mad.

So, after a moment, he gave a quiet instruction.

"If and when we meet humans—don't speak."

He couldn't be bothered with whatever chaos Aeternis might stir up in a conversation.

"Since when were you allowed to instruct your superiors?" the blade snapped back.

Soren thought for a second, then replied in a plain, dry voice. "The humans are too lowly to speak to you, don't you think?"

Aeternis lifted Soren's left hand mid-run and scratched his scalp, almost thoughtfully—as if he were genuinely pondering it. Then, in a pleased, lofty tone, he declared, "Yes… I see. I even gave you an opportunity to raise your status to that of a divine, even if you didn't deserve it."

Soren almost couldn't believe how gullible the dagger was—but then again, at the end of the day, it was still just a dagger.

He continued jogging, weaving past towering, mountainous trees and ducking beneath roots so massive they arched like bridges over dried-out lakes. The forest's echoes never ceased—faint shrieks and rustles dancing in the distance. If anything, they were growing slightly louder, though only just.

His pace gradually slowed beneath another tangle of roots. Then, he came to a halt.

The footprints ahead were scattered—diverging in different directions before returning to a central point. Judging by the clustered patterns and movement, they had lingered here for a while.

A campsite.

Soren crouched, narrowing his gaze as he studied the ground more carefully.

Five distinct sets of footprints.A shallow pit here—likely a firepit.Safe to assume monsters don't make campfires…

He moved further into the area, stepping into a section where the earth was riddled with chaotic footprints and faint gouges carved into the soil.

Claw marks? No—too controlled. Weapon slashes.

He stepped into one of the deeper imprints, observing the angles, the spacing between steps.

They were sparring here. I can learn something from this…

His marble-black eyes followed the continuation of the trail, his expression unreadable. He inhaled deeply, centering his focus.

Then, without a word, he moved—feet landing precisely in the same spots as the ones before him. Every step mirrored the previous wielder's movements, each placement a perfect mimicry of the combat exchange.

Swift, precise, fluid.

His body glided between the marks, mimicking leaps and shifts like a phantom reenactment of the battle. When the trail dipped low, he dropped his posture and swung Aeternis close to the ground. As he reached a particularly deep impression, Soren launched into a jump—his body nearly parallel to the ground—and spun midair while Aeternis traced twin arcs through the air in a clean, flowing motion.

He landed and came to a stop, breath ragged.

I've learned at least a little. Their styles… their rhythm…

He clenched his fingers slightly, still feeling the movement echo through his limbs. He'd almost stumbled on a few of the steps—it wasn't a perfect imitation. But it was enough.

Enough to know that whoever left these prints wasn't weak.

From the pattern of movements, Soren managed to glean a few clues—at least about two individuals in the group.

One of them was swift and agile—likely fast as well. Their strikes were layered, precise, and fluid, weaving together speed and accuracy. It suggested a smaller build, someone nimble, with a refined style.

The one who defended, on the other hand, seemed far more grounded. Their movements were slower, heavier, but firm—direct lines to intercept attacks, solid footwork, and brute strength. Likely someone bulkier, with a more powerful frame.

Soren was just about to reassess their movements when something snapped him out of his thoughts.

He hadn't realized how close the forest's noise had crept in while he was reenacting the sparring exchange. But now… it was unmistakable.

From behind—where he had come from earlier—there was a sound.

Clicking.

Sharp, rhythmic, unnatural.

It echoed through the roots overhead, bouncing through the forest floor. And it was getting faster. Each click came closer together—tightening in frequency, rising in pitch.

CLACK. CLACK. CLACK.

Soren spun around instantly, body tense, already ready to run. He didn't like the idea of facing an unknown threat head-on. But just as he prepared to move, his vision… shifted.

He was no longer in control.

Aeternis gave a low, disdainful grumble. "I'm tired of running and sullying the gods. Now face me. I do not know retreat."

Soren's body locked in place, unmoving—facing the origin of the sound.

The clicking grew louder. The very air around him seemed to vibrate with tension.

Then, from the trail behind him, the bushes shook violently—multiple spots at once. Dozens of creatures burst forward, skittering across the forest floor.

Knee-height monsters, hunched and sinewy, surged toward him like a wave. Their grotesque faces stretched unnaturally, lacking eyes—only gaping, jagged maws, wide open and dripping. Their shrill screeches clawed at his ears, rising in pitch and volume, until it felt like the forest itself was screaming.

Aeternis calmly raised Soren's palm toward them.

His lips parted. The voice that came out was calm, smooth, but unmistakably divine.

"Heaven's Judgement."

A jagged white line blinked into existence—snapping through the air and connecting the entire charging swarm in a single instant.

And then—lightning surged.

The air split apart.

The monsters lit up from the inside, their flesh briefly transparent as arcs of lightning danced through their bodies. Their limbs spasmed mid-charge, some collapsing mid-screech, others freezing mid-stride.

Then came the sound.

A concussive thunderclap cracked through the clearing—louder than anything Soren had ever heard. It didn't just echo—it detonated, as if the sky had split open right in front of him.

The force of it nearly ruptured his ears. He staggered back, knees hitting the ground as the ringing flooded his head.

Smoke curled from the ground. Charred corpses of the monsters twitched and crackled where they lay—some still faintly glowing from the residual energy. The scent of scorched flesh hung heavy in the air.

Aeternis relinquished control with a satisfied hum.

Soren gasped, his body aching. The amount of essence drained for that single act was staggering—Aeternis's so-called parlor trick had nearly emptied him.

His hands trembled faintly as he caught his breath.

Soren's vision was still slightly blurred from the surge Aeternis had unleashed, and the sharp ringing in his ears was only just beginning to fade.

But just as the noise dulled, a new sound reached him.

A soft click.

His head snapped up, eyes scanning the forest around him.

His legs still felt like lead, but he forced himself upright, leaning heavily on his knees as he tried to steady himself.

Then—he heard it again.

That same clicking sound.

Which meant one thing—Aeternis hadn't killed all of them. Worse, that strange voice hadn't declared a kill. That thought struck him hard.

If the voice said nothing… could it be that these creatures weren't individual monsters at all? Were they part of something larger? Underlings? Summons?

His thoughts spun in circles, half-formed theories rising in his mind.

"Lunacy... absolute lunacy..." he muttered through gritted teeth, voice low and bitter. "To waste that much essence... only to leave me breathless without finishing the job."

And then they appeared.

Three of the creatures burst from the undergrowth, still sprinting with the same frantic speed.

Soren stared at them, breath ragged. He wanted nothing more than to drop Aeternis right then and there. He had no essence left. No energy to run. His body was barely holding together.

But they were already too close.

The first one closed the gap in seconds, its mouth foaming as it leapt forward with a guttural shriek.

Soren swayed to the side just in time, dragging Aeternis in a heavy arc as he brought it crashing down on the creature's head. He fell with it, landing hard on top of the beast's limp body.

But there was no time to rest.

The second monster was already on him.

Its jaw clamped down on his leg with brutal force, sharp teeth sinking deep. A strangled yelp tore from Soren's throat as pain exploded in his nerves. The beast began jerking violently, trying to rip straight to the bone.

Through the numbing agony, Soren twisted his body and swung Aeternis down—again and again—until the blade carved a deep, bloody hole into the monster's skull. It collapsed with a final twitch.

But before he could even breathe, the third one was already in the air—its jaw wide open, aiming for his face.

Soren raised his hands just in time, catching its maw inches from his eyes. He strained against it, arms shaking, fingers locked against its teeth as it snarled and snapped. Its grotesque tongue flicked out, licking across his face in sickening waves.

His strength was failing.

Desperation clawed at him.

With a final surge, Soren pushed every last ounce of essence he could muster into his upper body. His muscles flared, and slowly, painfully, he began to force the monster's jaw wider… and wider…

Until it reached an unnatural angle.

*CRACK.*

All resistance vanished.

The creature went limp in his grip, jaw split grotesquely open.

Soren shoved it aside and collapsed to the ground, chest heaving.

Then, a voice echoed in his mind.

"You have slain a Tier 2 Awakened: Gnarler. Your soul strengthens."

"Yes… uh. Just as I planned." Aeternis declared proudly.

Soren let out a dry exhale, somewhere between a scoff and a sigh.

"Idiot…" he muttered, eyes fluttering shut as the world blurred at the edges.

And then, finally, everything faded to black.