Their stay in the Whispering Woods has been remarkably productive. They've come across persistent boars, pestering crows, and perturbing roots that came to life. Without revealing much of the Soul, each of them admitted to have gained a few levels from the experience.
Though, sadly, none of the monsters had dropped any Blessings or Curses.
'Strange. I never knew any of these guys were inclined to have a Blessing to create perishable foods.'
Jace sat along one of the trails, keeping a rotating shift with the other squad members as they slept in the area behind him. He wasn't far, but close enough where they would hear his alerting shouts.
He stared at the blinding darkness, outlined by thick trees and blurring foliage. It was difficult to see during the night but lighting a flame would just draw in monsters of the Floor, acting like a beacon for midnight snacks.
Though it wasn't half bad. The quiet was at least peaceful, without minding any possibility of being pounced from the bushes.
The Soul echoed in his ears again.
[You have 3 Soul Points remaining.]
'I get it, seriously, you don't have to remind me every minute. Can't a man take some time to decide?'
The blue transparent window said nothing in response.
He waved the Soul away, turning his eyes back into the darkness for any suspicious movements or sounds.
Jace was now Level eight, one away from Erin if she hasn't leveled yet in the Whispering Woods.
'Of course she did. If I was able to gain a Level, then everyone else in this squad can. How ridiculous.'
He silently gritted his teeth.
'Why am I even in competition with anyone else? Everyone has their own Soul, yet I keep acting like it's my concern.'
He stared ahead, resting his resolve among the quiet darkness.
'It's me versus me. My only opponent is the person I was yesterday.'
Some time later, he started to doze off. The Whispering Woods seemed finite, yet these groves felt like they could have gone on forever. No danger would have stumbled upon them unless the squad was actively looking for it.
Then he snapped awake, turning around as he reached for his silver sword.
Erin surrendered her hands, cracking a faint smile in between.
"Woah, you're jumpy," she said. "Good to see you're not slacking during the night shift."
He dropped his shoulders. "What are you doing? Aren't you supposed to watch the other side?"
"I asked Klav to do it instead."
"Klav?" he narrowed his brow. "Wait, if Klav was the one I switched with, then who—you know what, never mind."
She sat beside him, also staring into the empty darkness and rustling trees. He thought she was assigned with him, though it felt like she went on her own accord.
Jace didn't know what she wanted, and ever since his stay in the squad, Erin was the only one that he spent the most time with. Yet he still couldn't understand her.
Heather tolerated him and respected his strive for fighting but sometimes it had gotten in the way of their expeditions.
Klav thought Jace was the comedic relief of their squad. Obviously, Jace had already grown used to his bickering play.
Brita had the job of healing him, expending her mana whenever he was hurt. Jace wasn't sure if this annoyed her but she was always prepared in advance at the end of their fights. He just didn't know how to repay her.
As for Erin, she was the most confusing. Her eyes were constantly locked onto him, in every moment of the day.
Was he just a source of entertainment for her? Was it just to pretend so he would stay in their squad?
'Something's wrong with us, every person in this damned squad.'
After what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke through the awkward tension.
"Here," she handed a small vial with red liquid. "A celebration of surviving through the ninth Floor."
"A health potion?"
"I know you're hurt, Jace, with whatever bruise you're trying to hide. Do you really think you can trick me?"
"Guilty."
She snorted, leaning her soft blonde hair close. "Cheers."
They popped open the vial and downed the potion together. Sitting in the dark and drinking with another girl certainly didn't fit in his agenda of a Climber.
But he sprayed the potion from his mouth and recoiled in disgust.
"Seriously…" he coughed in between his words. "How can you guys drink something like this?"
She giggled, taking the vial from his hands and indulged herself. Watching her drink the potion made him feel some type of unexplainable way, but he decided to keep that feeling to himself.
Erin wiped her mouth and tossed the vials away through the darkness, residing them both back to the silence.
Jace noticed she had come slightly closer.
'What is she trying to pull…'
Then she spoke again, her voice quiet and soft, as if she was trying to reserve their conversation.
"How low were you," she asked. "At the first encounter, during that fight against the Savage Boars?"
"Low."
"That doesn't answer my question."
He sighed inwardly. "Are you asking me how it feels to be an inch from death? It doesn't feel great, believe me—"
"You were a single digit, weren't you?"
He thought her voice came off demanding. "If I was?"
"How…how could you be so calm?" she drifted her eyes away. "Anyone would lose their minds if their HP starts to reach zero. For you, it's like just any other day. Are you, I don't know, crazy in the head?"
"I thought the Soul would reward me for being that close to zero."
"The Soul rewards you for your accomplishments, not your failure."
He hissed his breath. "Ouch, actually, that's probably the most hurtful thing you've said to me so far."
She snorted with half a smile, then slipped back into a frown.
"If you die, Jace..." she muttered. "You can't come back. There's just some injuries that can't be reversed. Then you, and your Soul, dissolves into the Void. Brita can't heal you from there."
He stared off into the dark. "You think I don't know that?"
"No, I know you do. That's why I'm asking you again, how could you be so calm?"
He didn't know how to answer her. He just never considered death being one of his fears. The thought of being complacent, being comfortable in his own failures were a greater fear.
Jace had been close to the Void several times in their expeditions. Yet, at every instance, he knew he wasn't going to die. That was why he was so driven on becoming stronger.
The Tower had been throwing obstacles in his direction but he still refused to give up. He had a competent squad, an amazing healer, and an indomitable will to continue through his struggles.
Death had meant nothing. But living, with the fear of defeat, was to die everyday.
Jace suddenly lifted his head, startled by the sound in his ears.
"What?" Erin followed his eyes. "Is something there?"
"No, it's nothing."
The Soul had echoed in his ears again.
[You have 3 Soul Points remaining.]
'Congratulations, Soul! You scared the hell out of me!'
Then Jace grimaced, unsure of his next words.
"It's my Soul Points," he said. "I don't know what stat to invest into."
She turned to him with a confused expression.
"Wait, what?" she let out a small laugh. "You've been holding onto your Soul Points this entire time?"
He nodded.
She studied his face, almost like she enjoyed his adorable indecision.
"Well, what do you think you're lacking in?" she asked him. "Strength? Speed? Smarts? Totally not wit, since you're not scared of death."
"I guess my speed? I felt like if I was quicker enough, I wouldn't have been so close to the Void again."
Mentioning the Void had darkened her mood. She pulled a ring from one of her fingers and handed it to him.
He stared at the simple ring. "You're giving that to me?"
"Wear it."
He slipped it on his right middle-finger, indifferent to her strange gesture. Almost immediately, his body had felt lighter than usual, as if he could have run a marathon for fun.
Then the Soul echoed in his ears.
[Relic Obtained: Ring of Haste]
"You gave me a Relic?" his eyes widened. "Erin, seriously, I can't take this from you—"
"Keep it. You need it more than me, Jace, we all know that."
"No, Erin, seriously, I can't even owe you that much—"
"Oh, come on," she moaned. "Take the damned ring before I change my mind."
With admitted anticipation, he opened his Soul.
[Name: Jace]
[Rank: Climber]
[Level: 8]
[HP: 89/114]
[MP: 20/20]
[STR: 2]
[END: 1]
[AGL: 2 + 3]
[INT: 0]
[WIS: 0]
[Skills: (Wide Slash - Lv. 1)]
[Blessings: (Blessing of Starch - Lv. 1)]
[Curses: ]
[Relics: (Ring of Haste)]
He magnified on the lines of his new Relic.
[Relic: Ring of Haste]
[Type: Passive]
[Description: Simple things bring simple promises.]