Point of View: Sylvanas
I advanced through the desert for hours, guided by the unmoving sun and my own instincts. When I tried to hunt one of the scaled lizards, it didn't flee as I expected.
The same happened with the desert foxes and the snakes: they didn't know fear, responding only with violent defense of their territory.
The plants were abnormal as well. Giant cacti grew in abundance, loaded with origin energy so dense I could feel it vibrating in the air. Even the simplest grasses possessed an abnormal concentration; they were true natural treasures.
However, every time I tried to absorb or cultivate that energy, it dispersed, evaporating like sand carried by the wind.
It was frustrating… almost cruel.
As if the world itself refused to allow it.
I continued exploring until I reached the center of the desert. There, I found an oasis. Crystal-clear water, lush vegetation, and a heavy silence surrounded it. But it was not unprotected.
A colossal lizard rested beside the lake, twice the size of the others. Its presence was overwhelming. I could clearly sense its level: Mortal Rank, only one step away from ascension.
I understood then that the oasis was not a refuge.
And I had not come to fight.
I gathered some fruits and retreated cautiously.
When I exited the dungeon, the forest was dark. The contrast was striking: just seconds ago, I had been under an unmoving sun in a scorching desert.
"I took too long… Some of them might be worried. I should hurry."
I was calm. Every two weeks, we carried out a purge in the forest, eliminating carnivorous beasts. As long as the others were not disturbed, they posed no threat.
Even so… something wasn't right.
The forest was far too silent.
"It's too quiet… even for nighttime. It's as if there are no beasts… or they're hiding from something."
I recalled the abomination I had encountered earlier. The system had called it a Servant.
I took out my bow and prepared myself.
My suspicions were quickly confirmed. Between the trees, hidden within the shadows, several humanoid figures were watching me.
I didn't hesitate. I fired.
The arrow pierced one of them, but before it could fall, the others let out a harsh roar and charged at me.
"Damn it… there are more and more of them."
I immediately started running. I wasn't afraid, but being surrounded would be a fatal mistake.
I reinforced my body with origin energy and sprinted at full speed. I could feel their desperation to catch me; there were at least six of them.
The pursuit was intense. I ran for several minutes, but the Servants refused to give up.
"What irritating creatures…"
Suddenly, my instincts screamed. A chill ran down my spine.
I threw myself to the ground without thinking.
As I rolled, I saw it. One of those things had attacked the spot where I had been standing just seconds earlier. Its claws were embedded in the ground.
If I hadn't moved… it would have caught me.
It was different.
"What is that thing, system?"
[Abomination: Voracious]
The system provided no further information, but I could feel it clearly: it was at my level.
Unlike the others, it had wings.
It bared its teeth and attacked without restraint. I did the same.
It was fast. As fast as I was.
But it wasn't intelligent. It repeated the same patterns over and over again.
While dodging its attacks, I found an opening. I calculated the moment and fired. The arrow pierced its head.
I thought it was dead.
I was wrong.
The abomination attacked me unexpectedly, and I felt a sharp pain in my right arm. Blood immediately spilled out.
I clenched my teeth. With my free arm, I drew my knife and plunged it into its neck.
This time… it fell.
As its body began to fade, a system notification appeared, but I ignored it. The Servants were getting closer.
I kept running. I channeled origin energy into an arrow and fired it into the sky. It exploded, radiating an intense light.
It was the distress signal.
To my surprise, reinforcements were already on the way.
"Commander, fall back! We'll take care of this!"
I nodded without stopping. I knew they could handle it.
Soon after, I reached the gates of Arcadia. Soldiers patrolled the walls with tense expressions; the atmosphere was heavy.
As soon as I entered, they placed me onto a stretcher.
Exhaustion and blood loss finally overcame me.
And everything turned black.