The sweat on Elara's brow glistened in the sunlight as she surveyed the aftermath of the fierce battle. Four brigands lay scattered around the farmhouse, their bodies still and lifeless. It had been a close call, but Elara and Misty had come out victorious thanks to their surprise attack. The cat had snuck her way in, staying small and unobserved until in pounce range.

  As Elara let her first arrow fly, Misty transformed into her hellcat form mid-leap to take out her target in one swift, decisive bite to the back of the man’s neck.

  Elara hit her target in the shoulder, causing the brigand to spin round. She was momentarily shocked to see the outlaw was a woman, but with a second arrow already on the way, that quickly became irrelevant as the shot took her target in the neck.

  Misty had her next victim on the ground, chewing out his throat while also ripping open his guts in a back claw rake, releasing a torrent of steaming intestines.

  Elara quickly dispatched the last one charging towards her with an arrow to his chest. The sound of his sword clattering to the ground echoed through the air as he fell.

  Breathing heavily after the intense fight, Elara took stock of the scene, doubting she would ever get used to the violence that seemed to have been following their every footstep ever since she met Del.

  “Look around, Misty,” Elara called. “Make sure we got all of them.” She watched the area for any signs of danger.

  Not long after, Del joined them at a run, looking worried as he scanned around.

  Misty padded up and rubbed against his legs, though Elara wasn’t sure if it was in greeting or the cat trying to brush off some of the gore from her coat.

  Not that there was much point in that, as Del was pretty covered himself, although Elara was pleased to see it didn’t look like any was his.

  “Naomi,” Del says, his voice rough. “I know where she is. Let’s go get her.”

  Elara glanced at the farmhouse, but now that danger was over, they could manage for themselves. Naomi took precedence.

  Del led their way slightly away from the road and into the trees. Misty walked on ahead, and it wasn’t long before Elara saw her stop, tail raised. The smell of woodsmoke drifted on the evening breeze as Del placed a hand on her arm.

  “The camp is just ahead. It’s a bit of a mess,” he told her.

  Elara, seeing the state of Del's armour, wasn’t too surprised to hear that. Even so, it didn’t prepare her for the sight that greeted her as she reached the edge of the camp. Elara stopped dead in her tracks. The scene before her was like something out of a nightmare.

  It resembled an open-air slaughterhouse. Blood slicked the ground in glistening pools, catching the flickering firelight and making it shimmer like molten crimson. The air was thick with the coppery stench of death, sharp and suffocating, clawing at her throat with every breath.

  Her gaze swept the chaos: body parts strewn haphazardly, weapons lying abandoned where their owners had fallen, the remnants of a desperate and savage fight. Near the fire, a severed head sat grotesquely close to the flames, its blackened hair curling and smoking faintly.

  And then there was Misty. Elara blinked, her mind struggling to reconcile the sight of the cat—calm, unbothered—batting lazily at a severed leg caught in the branches of a low tree. The casual absurdity of it sent a cold shiver down her spine.

  Her eyes landed on a large, horribly battered body that, from the scout's description, could only be what remained of Karth. The corpse was a mangled ruin, broken beyond recognition. A deep ache settled in Elara’s chest at the senseless brutality of it. Whatever Karth had done in life, no one deserved this end.

  She looked at Del. He stood just ahead, still and silent. His armour was streaked with blood, his face unreadable in the dim light. In that moment, he seemed at home here, amidst the carnage and ruin, and Elara couldn’t tell if the feeling that rose in her chest was awe, shock, or something colder—something like fear.

  “Del?” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

  He turned, meeting her gaze. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The crackle of the fire and the faint rustle of leaves filled the silence, stretching the tension taut between them.

  The world flickered, a split second, and someone—a woman—stood there calmly observing her.

  Elara gasped, her breath catching as her gaze darted between Del and the strange woman. The woman—still and composed like a figure carved from stone—radiated a quiet but undeniable power. It was an aura Elara felt deep in her bones, and it unsettled her.

  Where did she come from?

  The thought churned as her hand moved instinctively to her knife. She didn’t remember drawing it, but the weight of it in her palm grounded her, if only slightly. Her steps faltered as she backed towards Del.

  “Who is she?” Her voice trembled despite her attempt to keep it steady. “Del, what’s going on? Where did she come from?”

  The woman didn’t move, but Elara could feel her watching—judging. Misty sat nearby, her tail flicking with unnerving calm, as though all of this was perfectly normal. Elara’s mind struggled to piece it together: the massacre, Del’s strange composure, this woman’s sudden appearance.

  A hand touched her arm. Del. He turned her to face him, and the moment her eyes met his, the knot of tension inside her tightened. His face was soft, almost sad.

  “Elara,” he began, his voice calm but carrying weight. “I need to tell you the truth—about me, about Misty, about what’s happening.”

  The truth? That word sat heavy in her chest, twisting her thoughts into knots. She searched his face, desperate for answers to the unspoken questions swirling in her head. Her mind flashed back to all the moments—small, strange moments—that hadn’t quite added up: Misty’s impossible intelligence, Del’s quiet certainty in impossible situations, the way the world seemed to shift slightly around him.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “You’ve noticed things, haven’t you?” Del’s voice broke through her thoughts.

  Elara swallowed, glancing at Misty. The cat, so still, so unnervingly present, stared back at her with those sharp, knowing eyes. “I have,” she admitted, her voice hesitant. “But I don’t understand it all.”

  Before Del could respond, the woman moved—just a step—but it was enough. Elara felt her presence deepen, like a storm cloud blotting out the sun. The power surrounding her was almost tangible.

  “It isn’t,” the woman said suddenly, her voice cool and resonant, like the toll of a distant bell. “And the path before you now is not one you can tread lightly.”

  The words hit Elara like a stone dropped into a still pond, sending ripples through her already frayed composure. What path? What is she talking about?

  “What are you saying?” Her voice came out smaller than she intended, betraying the uncertainty she was trying so hard to hide.

  The woman’s gaze didn’t waver. “You’ve seen too much to remain an outsider,” she said firmly. “You have a choice to make.”

  A choice? Elara’s mind raced, stumbling over what that meant—what it could possibly mean. Her eyes flicked between the woman and Del, searching for something—an explanation, a denial—anything to make sense of the chaos in her head.

  Del stepped in, drawing her attention back to him. He looked… earnest. Pleading. “I’m asking you to join us,” he said softly. “To awaken to something... bigger.”

  Awaken? The word hung in her mind like a heavy weight. The concept of it clawed at her, stirring something deep inside—something she didn’t understand.

  “But there’s also the option to walk away,” Del added quickly. His voice was gentler now, almost regretful. “If you choose to stay, everything will change. But if not...” He trailed off, his eyes shadowed.

  Walk away? The idea sent a pang through her chest that she couldn’t explain. Go back to what? Pretend none of this ever happened? Her mind recoiled from the thought, but the alternative—the unknown—was no less terrifying.

  “And if I walk away?” The question escaped her lips before she even realised she was speaking.

  Del hesitated, his throat working before he answered, his voice low and raw. “It will be as if we barely met.”

  The words stung more than she expected, sharp and final. Her thoughts turned to Naomi, to the brief moments of trust and camaraderie they had shared with Del and Misty. Would it all be gone—just wiped away? Would she simply continue on the road with just Naomi, as if none of this had ever happened?

  The camp around her felt smaller now, suffocating. Elara turned back to Del, desperate for something to cling to—some answer. “What would you choose, Del?” she asked softly.

  He didn’t hesitate this time. “I’d choose the truth.”

  There it was. Simple and solid, like a stone dropped into her hands.

  Elara closed her eyes for a moment, breathing deeply as she fought to steady herself. The truth. A choice. The unknown loomed before her like a yawning chasm, but Del’s words stayed with her—the truth.

  She opened her eyes, meeting his gaze with as much resolve as she could summon. “Then awaken me.”

  The woman simply placed a hand on Elara’s forehead, and everything changed.

  The world returned slowly, like drifting up through layers of water. Her body felt heavy, her limbs unresponsive, yet her mind hummed with a strange clarity. It was as though she had been shattered and pieced back together, but the pieces didn’t fit quite the same.

  Warmth. Steady arms held her.

  Elara’s eyes flickered open, and the first thing she saw was Del. His face hovered above her, creased with concern.

  “Elara?” he said softly.

  Her throat felt dry, the words slow to come. “I’m here,” she managed, her voice rasping faintly.

  As she stirred, Del’s hands steadied her, guiding her to sit upright.

  The ground beneath her was solid, but she felt… different. Alive in a way she couldn’t explain, like every fibre of her being was awake for the first time. Her senses prickled. The campfire’s embers whispered in the breeze, the faint thrum of life echoed in the earth, and the sharp scent of smoke mingled with the cool air.

  Del watched her carefully. “Are you ok?”

  Elara closed her eyes, flashes of what she had seen pulsing in her mind. The endless expanse of light and shadow. The forest, vast and alive, spreading its roots into a thousand worlds.

  “There was someone… something,” she said slowly, piecing the words together. “Teach. That’s what they said you called them.” She glanced at Del, seeing his faint nod of recognition. “They told me about the Overmind—about the multiverse.”

  Del’s brow lifted, but he said nothing, letting her continue.

  “It’s like…” She hesitated, searching for words to describe the enormity of it. “Our world—Terras—is just one thread in a tapestry that stretches forever. There are others like us, everywhere, all bound by this… Overmind’s system.” The words tasted strange on her tongue. “We’re monitored. Observed. The system watches, measures, and judges us—levels, skills, paths. It’s how we survive… or fail.”

  Her voice faltered, but Del’s steady gaze anchored her. She looked down at her hands, flexing them experimentally. They felt the same, yet somehow more.

  “I’ve been awakened,” she said softly, the truth settling into place. “They offered me a path. The ranger’s path. It’s rare, they said—something that bridges what I already know. My archery, my magic… but it’s more than that.” She lifted her head, her eyes meeting Del’s. “It’s a connection to everything. The natural world, mana, life itself.”

  She stopped, swallowing hard as the weight of it all threatened to overwhelm her. “Teach said it was a gift. A responsibility.”

  Del’s lips curved into a small smile, and though he said nothing, she could see the quiet pride in his eyes.

  “And how do you feel?” he asked, his voice gentle but curious.

  Elara’s breath steadied as she considered the question. How did she feel? The exhaustion tugged at her, but beneath it, there was something else. A hum of energy that seemed to flow through her veins, connecting her to the world around her.

  “I feel alive.” She answered at last.

  Name: Elara Silvervale

  Level: 9

  Path: Ranger

  Health: 39

  Strength: 18

  Dexterity: 28

  Stamina: 23

  Intelligence: 22

  Wisdom: 10

  Mana: 99

  Spirit: 45

  Agility: 37

  Presence: 14

  Elven Traits:

  Enhanced Perception: Increased tracking and observation skills in woodland

  Dark Sight: Can see in dimly lit and dark environments

  Skills:

  Archery lvl 9 – Able to use all manner of handheld bows and crossbows

  Woodcraft lvl 5 – Basic survival skills in wooded areas. Can live for extended periods off the land

  Tracking lvl 4 – Can follow tracks and trails

  Traps lvl 2 – Can make basic snares and pit traps.

  Sneak lvl 5 – Able to hide in available cover. Movement increases the risk of being seen or heard.

  Herbalism lvl 6 – Can identify and gather basic herbs.

  Alchemy lvl 2 – Can make poultices and basic potions. (Requires recipes)

  Skinning lvl 8 – Can skin a carcass and preserve the hide.

  Magic Spells:

  Growth lvl 3 – Speed plant growth

  Control Plants lvl 4 – Able to manipulate roots and vines within 30 feet

  Light lvl 4 – Can create light from a small lasting glow that can be attached to objects or people, up to a sudden blinding flash. The brighter the effect the shorter the duration.

  Myrrith’s Wrath lvl 2 – Create a magical arrow that deals enhanced damage.; Damage is doubled against undead or evil creatures.

  Attacks:

  Bow lvl 10 – Simple Shot.

  Dagger lvl 4 – Stab, Slash.

  Special Attacks:

  Bow:

  Sneak attack lvl 6 – Doubles damage

  Master Archer lvl 5 – Cost 1 Stamina: Increased damage and chance of critical hit.