The next three days Lyriel exercised every afternoons until evening came. His bone sored out and his muscles clenched. At some point, he swore he couldn't feel his limbs anymore. His legs jittered. His arms wobbled, something that Lyriel had never experienced for a long time. Fatigue entirely engulfed his form.
And Star was merciless. Without a break, Star made sure he performed countless pushups. Lyriel thought of deceiving him but there was a counting metre. Right after the last badge of pushups, Lyriel's body plunged hard onto the ground before he could even realize he groaned. Then his lungs were burning.
The brief constriction of the airpath within his guts earned his fingers to clasp the neck. A throaty cough sounded. Lyriel grunted.
By the side was Kar, The tiger beast, and Lyriel's newly found pet watching the grunting Lyriel with keen enthusiasm. His tails beating slowly behind him. Lyriel had named him, and kept him ever since that day he found it. Or should he say... it found him?
Lyriel hadn't known of it's origin yet. Regardless, Kar had been very helpful with providing food for the both of them despite his size. And he swore he could feel some connections with it. Currently, Kar was just busy, amusing it's little self by imitating the ticking movement of star's counting metre.
"Nice work, host. Your strength has increased ten digits higher." Star barely appraised, vanquishing the reading metre Kar had been eyeing restlessly.
In confusion, Kar blinked his silver eyes as he quickly flew to the spot where the clock-shaped metre had vanished. He yapped as he threw a few paws. When there was nothing to amuse him, he directed his attention elsewhere.
'Thirty eight,' Lyriel had calculated it silently. He was more interested in his current level. Deducing silver eyes narrowed.
" What of my level? Did it increase? " Lyriel asked through heaving breath, chiding Kar whom appeared from nowhere troubling to be carried.
" Unfortunately, not." Star said.
" That means it would only increase if I perform daily tasks..." Lyriel watched as Storm strayed silently.
" Or managed to accomplish something extraordinary." Star finished with a nod.
Of course, Lyriel had seen this coming. What was he even thinking suffering himself all in the name of gaining strength to level up. From the start he knew it was somehow impossible, yet still choose to be optimistic about it. Although random exercises would help increase his strength and others, It only did it at a small pace.
His level and experience mattered most. And they both depended on Tasks and accomplishing tough feats. Tasks came once or twice daily. What if he decides to attack more powerful beings for growth... Would he even succeed?
Lyriel looked revolted. "Guess, I'll be having to complete my daily tasks as soon as possible. "
Star vanished moments later, after bidding the two goodbye. He would only appear when necessary. With nothing left to do, both Lyriel and Kar sat under a tree as they enjoyed the chilly air with the forest silence that followed. Lyriel had pondered on the range of his growth and the dangers that awaited him beyond this woodlands. A tiny fright pulsed his gut.
Few moments later nausea crashed up Lyriel's throat like a wave. He almost vomited. His nose scrunched at the putrid smell he sniffed off his braies. Remembering he hadn't taken a single bath since he transmigrated into this world. Lyriel grabbed for the furry, little, hide fabric from the antelope catch he made yesterday, deciding to wear it afterwards.
He headed to the lake for a quick wash up after he ordered Storm to gather up woods for fire once dusk approached.
"Be back as soon as possible. Don't stray too far. Be quiet. And... Remember to report back if you notice any oddities." Lyriel instructed Storm who replied with yaps, straying further as he floated. The man shook his head, watching as Storm floated deeper into the woods.
But when Storm disappeared out of sight, Lyriel's brows creased. Lyriel monitored a random direction, eyes cutting through the trees in a deathly glare.
Something didn't feel right. The last few days didn't feel right. Though unsure, but Lyriel almost felt like he'd been noticing some suspicious auras far deep into the woods. He once thought of checking it out then decided otherwise. Right now, it wasn't his business as far as both him and Kar were safe. But he was still a bit wary.
Arriving at the lake, Lyriel crouched as he scooped water and washed his face. The enthusiastic shine of the wide lake rippled as his hands dug through it's coldness. The lake was extremely clear for Lyriel could sight the grey pebbles beneath the glinting lake.
He scooped more water, wiped his face before he pulled of his shirt. He shivered a bit as the chilly winds struck, thus he hugged himself for a little warmth. He just had to pull his pants, bath, and be done with it.
Lyriel had reached low to pull his braies down unhesitatingly. At first, a bit slow. However, the waistband never crossed his waist.
Suddenly, a shuffling sound came out from one of the trees behind Lyriel, and pummeled with a thud.
Countless and ceaseless light groans noised as the thing that collapsed behind Lyriel struggled with ragged breaths. Few coughs followed. There were cries also, at the same time as an unfamiliar aura dispersed through the rocks and the trees in a burst. And even surrounding Lyriel's frame in a haze the shade of midnight.
It was dangerous, frightening even.
Lyriel spun around in alarm. His eyes burned in mortal vigilance as he balled his hands to conjure a dagger made entirely of light. It gleamed through the dark aura as he skimmed the area. Like a halo. However, the darkness clogged thickly. It was like a cloak Lyriel could barely make out a single shape. He couldn't even see his shirt anymore.
Then, a harrowing pain seared though Lyriel's forehead. It wasn't just his head, but also on his skin as well. It was excruciating and torturesome, somehow similar to the numbness that his soul witnessed within that Soul void. As though a million asp bit past his skin, tearing open his flesh. Lyriel tried releasing his aura but it seems that the other's was way superior. It overshadowed him. The collision of both auras bounced of in a dance of black and white. Wafted in shimmering threads.
By the far end, the groans continued and Lyriel's eyes squinted. He hissed internally. His grip tightens around the dagger's glowing hilt.
He wouldn't let this thing kill him, not now. Lyriel made to move forward.
No matter what shit that stuff was, he would draw blood first...
Then, it came as a dying whisper. "Help me... Please..."
Silver eyes widened...
Though unfamiliar, Lyriel would never mistake the voice of an injured person...
It was... A person.
Another person...
Lyriel's feets planted firmly on the ground before he could take a step. The voice... sounded feminine. A woman? What was...? His mind were muddled with questions barraging each other as he debated on whether it was an actual person. Or something the form of one. And what they were doing there that late.
Approaching the person— Or thing? He was unsure. It could be a trick.
Fortunately, the conflict within him thawed when the other silently withdrew their aura, leaving only a wake of white to flitter around. The darkness instantly disappeared as the rays of the moon shone upon them. The white flecks gleamed even brighter. It was breathtakingly beautiful the young man couldn't help admiring it.
"Anyone? Who's there? Please help me they're coming" The weak voice cried again with helpless urgency. Desperate. "Please..."
"Oh, really" Lyriel didn't vanish the blade as he traced the voice right behind a large rock. "Is that why you were trying to have me killed..." His word drowned, as his gaze lowered. There, a woman was laying on the floor.
Bruised. Heaving. Blood soaked, her onyx short gown almost shaded the colour of wine. The cloth on her side were torn in shred. Three large claw like marks bared themselves before Lyriel's eyes mangled with brown dirts and seeping blood. Her disheveled jet black hair sprawled across the floor, her fair skin in waves, Lyriel could barely stop him from ogling.
My, Gods... What a damsel. He bit his lower lips to suppress a chuckle. A damsel in distress.
"I apologize about releasing my aura. I really do. But right now, We must... We need to leave. Now?" The young woman hastily spoke, glancing behind Lyriel's direction dreadfully. She balked visibly. "One's almost close."
"What is almost close?" Lyriel's gaze turned questioning, subduing the blood gushing from her stomach. His hands had dyed red.
Immediately, a heavy silence plundered. The trees had grown silent, the rustling leaves deathly silence seemed as though an attempt to tease. The air suddenly grew haunting. However, there was a knock. Also, a crunch. Like the sound of footsteps. It was making it's way towards Lyriel with a low hiss.
"It's... Here..."
A fiendish shriek reverberated around the woods and a red cladded figure emerged from the trees.
Please sharree