The forest was a dense web of gnarled trees, their bark peeling beneath a gray sky thick with mist. Mud clung to James Cross's boots, the ground soft with ashen soil and blackened vines that crumbled underfoot. A faint hum threaded through the air, sharp and insistent, like a signal from some hidden mechanism. James stood outside the tent, the damp air chilling his skin, his mind fixed on the [Essence Shard (E)] in his inventory. Its green glow carried a density beyond the F rank shards he'd glimpsed in the Domain's early trials. He was still dissecting the system's mechanics, but the shard's higher grade implied a greater essence concentration; potentially enough to refine his skills in ways a lower one couldn't.
Upgrading Healer could enhance Barrier or Mend, allowing sustained casts in prolonged fights. But Oracle, at F, was a different puzzle. Foresight had shown utility but lacked depth, and Shatterpoint remained unexplored. An E-grade shard might compress that gap, accelerating Oracle's progression or stabilizing its outputs. The Oracle's Keys mysterious capabilities suggested Oracle could unlock valuable skills that could change how he perceives and interacts. Healer was the safe bet for reliability, but Oracle's untapped scope might yield asymmetrical advantages, making him stronger in unpredictable ways. The choice boiled down to practicality versus potential. Healer for incremental gains, Oracle for a leap forward in his overall strength.
Making his decision, James focused, directing the shard's energy into Oracle. A sharp warmth surged through his palm, precise and intense, like a current aligning with his nerves. His vision flickered, a system panel flaring:
[Name]: James Cross
[Primary Class]: Oracle
[Secondary Class]: Healer (Innate)
[Oracle Challenge]: Nightmare Visions - Survive prophetic death creatures in nightly mental trials. Success yields Essence Shards. Failure risks death.
[Healer Challenge]: Innate class, No daily challenge.
[Class Upgrade]: Oracle (F+) (6/20), Healer (E-) (0/50)
[Essence Mastery]: (F+) (18/100)
[Inventory]: Oracle's Key (Divine), Basic Shortsword (F+)
Skills:
[Healer]: Mend (Restore minor wounds), Barrier (Shield allies), Soothe (Ease pain)
[Oracle]: Foresight (Glimpse future events), Shatterpoint (Disrupt critical moments)
[Available Shards]: None
James exhaled steadily, his mind analyzing the shift. Oracle had advanced all the way from F to F+ with six points toward the next threshold, a notable gain for an E shard. The upgrade refined his perception, the forest's hum now more structured, like a pattern he could parse if he concentrated. He hadn't anticipated such efficiency; the shard's density had compressed the progression, potentially allowing Foresight to handle more variables or stabilize other Oracle functions. This was progress, a measurable step toward the strength he needed to navigate the Domain's trials.
I need to figure out the number of essence points awarded based on rank. At the same level F awarded 1, but an E rank which was 3 ranks ahead awarded 15. However as soon as I broke through E rank, could that have changed how far it pushed my upgrade process?
A heavy hand clapped his shoulder, pulling him from his calculations. The burly axeman loomed, axe slung across his back, his face stern beneath a tangled beard. "We're leaving, healer. Get moving."
James glanced up, noting he didn't know the man's name. "Thanks. What's your name?"
"Torren," he said, voice rough. "The other girl's Lila. Let's go." He turned, trudging toward the forest where Mara, Lila, and the rest of the party waited, their weapons glinting in the dim light.
James followed, materializing his shortsword with a thought, its weight anchoring him. The dead soldier's face lingered in his mind, a reminder of his failure to sustain his essence in the last fight. He needed to be sharper, stronger, to avoid another shortfall. Mara pointed to a trail of crushed vines and blackened earth winding toward a ravine. "The Echo's been through here," she said, her voice steady but her eyes scanning rapidly. "Kael tracked its energy—dead plants, corrupted ground. It's close." Kael moved ahead, his curved dagger slicing through twitching vines, while Lila's spear swayed with her steps.
James's suspicion of Kael persisted, his sharp eyes and clipped tone felt evasive, but Mara's quick glances at the trees raised doubts too. "What's the Echo look like?" he asked, stepping over a root leaking green sap, its scent acrid. "How do we know it's near?"
Kael glanced back, expression flat. "Shadowy, moves like smoke. You'll see it, healer. Keep up."
James ignored the jab, focusing on his skills. The Oracle upgrade made his vision feel more responsive. Foresight might now handle more subtle cues, or even last longer.
When I used it against the vines I was able to see 2 seconds ahead. I want to test it out, but I need to conserve essence.
The forest thickened, branches tangling overhead like a net, the hum growing sharper, vibrating in his chest. A low moan, Echo or wind? Foresight stayed silent, but James noted the trail: wilted flowers glowing faintly before crumbling, trees with bark peeling in corrosive strips, their sap pooling in the mud.
They trekked for hours, Kael cutting through vines that snapped back like taut cords. Lila pointed to a claw-marked tree, its wood blackened and brittle. "The Echo's corruption spreads fast," she said. "We stop it here, or the forest's done." James nodded. The Echo was a systemic threat, poisoning the environment. His essence had drained too fast in the plant fight, leaving him useless when the soldier died. The F+ rank might help, perhaps letting Foresight predict the Echo's moves more reliably, or even decreasing the amount of essence used for each skill.
There's so much I need to learn and figure out after this challenge is over. Astor might have some insights too on this whole thing, I need to perform well to rescue him.
Kael stopped at a ravine's edge, bringing James out of his thoughts. The ravine's jagged walls dropped into darkness. Glowing vines clustered at the lip, their green tips pulsing faintly, like a heartbeat. "It was here," Kael said, tracing gray soil with his dagger. "Moved recently."
James's gut tightened. Something felt off, like the hum was misaligned, the air too still. He focused, whispering, "Foresight." A flash showed Mara lunging at Kael, her sword slashing. James hesitated, the vision clear but confusing. Should I protect Kael? The tracker had been suspicious from the start. His horrible attitude and quick movements. Mara was the leader; maybe she had a reason.
He waited, watching Mara's hand linger on her sword. She spun, her broadsword flashing toward Kael. James reacted fast. "Barrier!" A dome snapped around Kael, Mara's blade bouncing off with a clang, sparks flying.
Mara staggered back, her eyes narrowing. "What are you doing, James?"
"Why did you attack him?" James asked, his voice even, shortsword raised. The vision had shown the lunge, but he needed answers.
Mara's face hardened. "He's the Echo. Been leading us wrong, protecting himself. I've known for a while."
Kael lowered his dagger slightly, his eyes darkening, smoky tendrils curling faintly. "You're lying, Mara. I've been tracking it."
The hum in the air spiked, the vines twitching violently, their pulses flaring. A shadow flickered in the ravine, closer now, the air growing colder.