A familiar shape bounded toward Jack, its movements urgent yet unmistakable. Goldeyes’ tail wagged furiously as his golden gaze locked onto Jack. A low, joyous growl rumbled in his throat, and he darted forward, his speed belying the injuries he bore.

  “Goldeyes!” Jack excimed, dropping to one knee just as the wolf leaped into him with unchecked enthusiasm. The impact nearly toppled him over, but Jack only ughed, the sound resonating through the cavern like a balm to the tension in the air. Goldeyes licked his face fervently, warm breath brushing against his skin, and Jack embraced him tightly.

  “You’re okay, buddy!” Jack's voice cracked with emotion as his hands tangled in Goldeyes’ fur. Despite the matted patches of blood and dirt, the earthy, familiar scent of the wolf was a grounding comfort. Goldeyes nuzzled into Jack’s shoulder, a soft whine breaking through his excitement.

  For a brief, precious moment, the chaos faded. Jack buried his face in Goldeyes’ fur, letting relief wash over him. Their connection—shaped through trials and unyielding trust—needed no words. It was a bond forged in the fires of survival, unbroken and unyielding.

  Jack leaned back slightly, meeting the wolf’s gaze. Goldeyes’ golden eyes sparkled with unrestrained joy, his tail thumping against the ground. “I missed you too, buddy. I’m so gd you’re safe,” Jack murmured, scratching behind the wolf’s ears.

  Goldeyes barked softly, the sound low and happy, pressing his head against Jack’s chest with trembling enthusiasm. The wolf’s relief mirrored Jack’s, their reunion a light in the cavern's shadows.

  The tender moment shattered with a sharp voice cutting through the air.

  “Jack!” Ly’s sharp tone sliced through the air, dragging him out of the moment. Jack turned, startled, to see her striding toward him, staff clenched tightly in her hand. Her flushed face and bzing eyes made her frustration clear, exhaustion and anger simmering just beneath the surface.

  “What the hell happened back there?” she demanded, stopping a few paces away, her hands pnted firmly on her hips. “One minute, you’re gone. The next, you reappear with some crazy new power and save the day! Care to expin?”

  Jack sighed, his shoulders sagging as he gently pushed Goldeyes aside and rose to his feet. “Ly, I—”

  “No,” she interrupted, snapping at him. “No excuses, Jack. You scared the hell out of us! We thought you were dead—or worse. And then you just show up out of nowhere? How?”

  Cael and Monsoon subtly edged away, clearly uninterested in getting caught up in the brewing storm.

  Jack rubbed the back of his neck, guilt flickering across his face. He understood her frustration, but her accusatory tone was grating. “I’m sorry,” he began, his voice steady but carrying a faint edge. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “You didn’t mean to? Jack, you—”

  “No,” Jack interrupted this time, his voice firm as irritation seeped into his words. “I didn’t mean to, Ly. Do you think I wanted to get separated? That I chose to stumble into a Nest alone and face something that could’ve killed me?” He took a step closer, his eyes meeting hers. “I get it. You’re angry. You were worried. But don’t act like I deliberately ran off and left you all behind. I did what I could with the hand I was dealt.”

  Ly blinked, her expression shifting as his words sank in. Some of her anger ebbed, repced by a flicker of understanding, though her stern look remained. “We’re a team, Jack. You can’t just—”

  “And I didn’t!” Jack snapped, his voice rising slightly before he exhaled sharply, reigning himself in. “I know we’re a team. And trust me, the st thing I wanted was to be out there on my own. But sometimes things happen, and you have to deal with it. That’s what I did.”

  The cavern fell silent, the tension between them hanging in the air. Jack’s words had clearly struck a chord, and though Ly’s expression softened, she held his gaze for a moment longer before finally nodding.

  “All right,” she said, her tone quieter now. “Fair enough. But next time, let’s do everything we can to not get separated. Agreed?”

  Jack nodded, his irritation fading. “Agreed.”

  Her gaze shifted to the spear in his hand, its glow dimming as the Skill’s timer expired. “That power…” she muttered, narrowing her eyes. “It’s from your new Css, isn’t it?”

  Jack nodded, his voice steady. “It is. And I actually have some questions about it—if you don’t mind.”

  Ly sighed, her irritation melting into reluctant amusement. “One question at a time,” she said, holding up her hand. Her lips twitched, almost smiling. “Go on.”

  Jack unched into a rushed expnation about the Spearsoul Css, the doubts he'd had, and his questions about its mechanics. Ly listened intently before replying.

  “Was I right to take the Css? Will it mess up my progression? And how can I use the Soul Element if I don’t have an attunement or a Skill for it?”

  “One question at a time please” Ly said, holding up her hand in a gesture of pause, but her eyes were gleaming with amusement at the rushed flood of questions. She took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts, and then began to answer.

  “First of all, Jack,” she said, her tone softening slightly, “Spearsoul isn’t a bad choice for you. In fact, it’s quite a unique css, especially for someone who has shown as much adaptability in combat as you have. It’s rare, and it has the potential to be incredibly powerful, but it does require more exp to level than a lower rarity css would. Ultimately, the overall power you will gain from it is probably worth the extra effort.”

  Jack nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. “So, it won’t mess up my progression?”

  Ly shook her head. “No, not at all. Csses are more about enhancing your natural abilities and the path you’ve chosen. Spearsoul seems like it aligns well with your fighting style. As for progression, it’s not about locking you into one way of doing things. Think of it more as giving you a toolkit. You’ll have to learn how to use what’s in that kit effectively. The Spearsoul will require you to synchronize your physical and spiritual self with the spear, and that’s where the Soul Element comes in.”

  Jack frowned, trying to process her expnation. “But I don’t have a Soul attunement or any skills reted to it. How am I supposed to use it?”

  “That’s the tricky part,” Ly admitted, crossing her arms over her chest. “Soul is not like the Tier 1 elements. You don’t need an attunement or even the Soul Magic Skill to use it. As long as you have the Skills or attunements for the Tier 1 Elements that make up Soul all you need is the proper Css. Its not like beasts who born with affinities for different elements. Of course, they have their own advantages. They can be born with an affinity for even Tier 2 Elements. From what you told me about that Starlight Stag you fought it had the Star affinity. For you to access that power you would need the requisite Skills or Affinities in Fire, Air and Light.”

  Jack thought it over “But can’t people also be born with an attunements?”

  Ly shook her head “Only Tier 1 Elements. To gain an attunement for a Tier 2 Element they would have to have the base attunements for that Element unlocked and then undergo something called a Merging. I’ve heard of it but don’t know much about it. At any rate, a beast can be born with even the power of a Tier 2 Element or awaken an attunement if they come into contact with a sufficiently powerful source of mana that they have a high natural affinity for.”

  “And if they do” Jack said, his thoughts turning to Monsoons transformation” Can that trigger some sort of physical change?”

  “Sometimes, although it depends on how much of an affinity for that Element the beast has” Ly answered, “I believe that’s called a Mutation although it really is just an early Evolution.”

  Jack looked askance at her “Which is?

  “An Evolution happens to every beast once it reaches level 20. Then it evolves depending on what affinities it has regardless of if they have unlocked those Elements. That’s another advantage a beast has over us. When they Evolve they can gain the power of a Tier 2 Element even if they don’t have an affinity for the base components that make it up unlike you, who needed those attunements to be offered your Spearsoul Css. Speaking of which its about time I got to choosing my own Css.”

  “You’re level 15 already?’ Jack tried to keep the surprise out of his voice but failed miserably.

  Ly smirked ‘Without you hogging all the experience I was able to gain levels a bit faster,” she teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “And yes, I’m ready for my own Css Advancement. I’ve been thinking about it a lot, especially after seeing how effective you’ve been with Spearsoul. I want something that complements our team dynamics and my own abilities.”

  Jack nodded, understanding the importance of having a banced team. “Have you decided what you’re going to choose?”

  Ly got a distant look in her eyes. When she didn’t respond he realized she must be looking over her Css options. He decided to take the time to examine his own Profession Advancement options which had been looking through when he had first heard Goldeyes howl.

  Most of his choices weren’t too exciting. They gave basic upgrades to specific things like light armor or heavy weapons. It made sense that his options were pretty generic as he hadn’t done much with the Wargear Crafter Profession since getting it. He simply hadn’t had the time. However the st option caught Jacks eye. It was one he didn’t remember seeing the first time he had looked, perhaps because it hadn’t been there.

  Soulforger (Rare)

  Type: CrafterRarity: RareDescription: The Soulforger is a master of both crafting and the arcane art of soul manipution. This profession allows one to trap the souls of defeated enemies, condensing them into gems known as Soul Gems at the moment of their death. These Soul Gems hold the essence and power of the trapped souls, which can then be infused into crafted items, granting them unique magical properties. The Soulforger seamlessly blends the art of forging with the mystic energy of the soul, creating wargear that not only provides physical protection and combat prowess but also channels the tent power of the souls contained within. The Soulforger's creations are highly coveted, as they can harness elemental energies, grant unique abilities, and provide powerful buffs or effects to their wielders. This profession is rare and requires a delicate bance of arcane knowledge and crafting expertise, making those who master it formidable crafters in any realm.

  Grants the following Skills:

  Soul Trap: Allows you to capture the soul of a dying enemy, condensing it into a Soul Gem. The power of the Soul Gem depends on the strength and abilities of the trapped soul.As this Skill levels up it can be used on more powerful opponents. Each Soul Gem can be used once to infuse an item with magical properties. Stronger enemies yield more potent gems, and certain rare or unique enemies may offer unique effects when their souls are trapped.Soul Infusion: Grants you the ability to infuse Soul Gems into weapons, armor, or other crafted items, imbuing them with magical effects. The properties granted depend on the nature of the soul within the gem. For example, a soul with a fire affinity might grant a weapon a fming attribute, while a soul with a healing nature could provide regenerative properties to armor.