With Lucius fed and resting again, Joey finally allowed himself a moment to breathe. He sat close to the fire, legs crossed and shoulders slumped, the simple bowl of soup cradled carefully in his hands. The warmth from the steaming broth seeped through his fingers, soothing the stiffness in his aching joints. For a moment, he stared into the flickering flames, watching them dance and twist as if they were alive. The fire crackled softly, its gentle sound filling the stillness of the clearing, a quiet contrast to the chaos that had filled his day.
The events of the last few hours surged through Joey’s mind in a disjointed blur, each memory clashing against the next. The monstrous boar’s charge, Lucius standing firm, the sickening sight of his collapse, and the brutal struggle to pull him through the dense forest. Joey could almost hear the thud of the tusk connecting, the wet tear of flesh splitting open, and Lucius’ body hitting the ground with a sound that still made his stomach turn.
His gaze drifted to Lucius, who lay still under the crude shelter Joey had pieced together earlier. The firelight cast long, uneven shadows across Lucius’ face, emphasizing the pallor of his skin and the weariness etched into his features. His chest rose and fell in shallow but steady breaths, the rhythmic motion oddly reassuring. Despite the layers of hide and makeshift bedding, he looked so fragile, as though a strong wind might carry him away.
"We’ll make it through this," Joey said quietly, his voice breaking the silence like a ripple across still water. The words were firm, but they sounded as much like a plea to himself as they did a promise to Lucius.
Joey lifted the spoon to his mouth, the thin soup lukewarm now but still nourishing. He swallowed slowly, savoring the faint flavors of the herbs and the richness of the boar meat. It wasn’t a feast, but it was enough to quell the sharp gnaw of hunger that had been clawing at him all day. As he ate, he leaned back against the rough bark of a nearby tree, the grooves pressing uncomfortably into his back, grounding him in the moment.
He tilted his head upward and let his eyes wander across the treetops. The sky above was a dark canvas pierced with faint glimmers of starlight, and the forest stretched endlessly in every direction. The air had turned cool, carrying with it the earthy scent of damp leaves and the lingering aroma of smoke. The wind whispered through the branches, making the leaves shiver and sway like silent spectators to Joey’s struggles.
A deep fatigue settled over him, an exhaustion that went beyond his aching body and settled into his very bones. His arms throbbed from dragging Lucius, his legs burned from stumbling over uneven terrain, and his hands still bore faint smears of blood that he hadn’t been able to fully clean off. He flexed his fingers absently, wincing as the stiff, overworked muscles protested.
But even as the weight of it all threatened to crush him, Joey felt something else—something small but unshakable. Determination. It sparked faintly in his chest, like the embers in the fire before him. No matter how uncertain the road ahead seemed, no matter how much further they had to go, Joey couldn’t allow himself to give up. He had gotten Lucius this far. He had stopped the bleeding, built the fire, and carved out a place for them to rest, even if it was temporary. If he could do that, then he could keep going.
Joey’s gaze flickered back to Lucius. He remembered how strong Lucius had been earlier, standing so confidently in front of that monstrous beast. The memory of Lucius’ laughter, so carefree even in the face of Joey’s failure with the axe, brought an unexpected pang of emotion to Joey’s chest. Lucius had been unshakable, a pillar of strength, and now it was Joey’s turn to carry them both forward.
“You’d better wake up soon,” Joey murmured softly, his lips curling into a faint smile despite his exhaustion. “I’m not exactly great at this whole survival thing on my own.” The words were meant as a joke, but they hung in the air, fragile and honest. Joey let out a shaky breath, rubbing his hands together near the fire for warmth.
He turned his attention back to the soup, finishing the last few spoonfuls before setting the empty bowl aside. The fire crackled on, its heat pushing back the night’s chill, creating a small oasis of light in the overwhelming darkness. Joey shifted slightly to get more comfortable, his muscles protesting every move. Despite the tiredness that pulled at him, he couldn’t bring himself to close his eyes just yet.
His thoughts wandered as he sat there, staring into the flames. He thought about the boar, about the monstrous size of it and the way Lucius had fought without hesitation. He thought about the blood, the panic he had felt, and the way his mind had suddenly gone blank before everything had clicked into place.
Joey frowned slightly, remembering the faint shimmer he had seen while tending to Lucius earlier. It had been so quick, almost imperceptible, but it had felt… important. Like a trick of the light that shouldn’t have been there. The memory lingered at the edge of his mind, a puzzle piece he couldn’t quite fit into place.
Shaking his head, Joey pulled the hide blanket over his shoulders and leaned back against the tree again. His gaze turned toward the shelter, where Lucius lay motionless but alive. That was all that mattered right now. Tomorrow, they would figure out the next step. Tomorrow, they would find a way out of this forest, or at least try.
For now, Joey let himself bask in the quiet comfort of the fire and the stillness of the forest. The wind whispered gently through the leaves, carrying the faint promise of a new day. And though the path ahead was uncertain, Joey knew that as long as Lucius was breathing, as long as he himself could stand, they would keep moving forward.
“Yeah,” Joey whispered to himself, letting his heavy eyelids fall shut for just a moment. “We’ll make it through this.”
The fire crackled on, its soft glow standing guard over the clearing as the forest beyond sank deeper into shadow.
Joey drifted off to sleep, the exhaustion of the day finally overwhelming him. When his eyes opened again, he found himself back in the **Void**. The emptiness stretched endlessly in all directions. It was again a place without form, without light, without sound. Only Joey existed in the silence, standing in the middle of nothingness.
"Here again," Joey muttered to himself, his tone calmer than the first or second time he had awakened in this strange place. There was no panic this time, no desperate search for answers or escape. The absence of the shadowy figure from his first visit felt almost expected now. "But that other person, or whatever it was, still isn’t here," he thought, his voice a mere whisper in the emptiness.
Suddenly, without warning, the interface blinked into existence before him, its faint glow illuminating the darkness like a distant beacon.
Joey Weave
Age: 20
Path: Wanderer
Unique Thread: "Knowledge Beyond Time"
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Attributes:
Perception: Awakened > Heightened
Adaptation: In Progress > Accelerating
Physical Resilience: Enhanced > Hardened
Connections:
The Hunter (Lucius): Friendly > Bonded
The Unknown (Void): Undefined
For all its strange familiarity, the glowing text and shimmering numbers made little sense to him. These updates, the "attributes," the "connections" - none of it was clear. What did Heightened Perception even mean in real terms? Why was everything so vague?
His frustration bubbled to the surface. "Why is this so damn unorganized?" he muttered aloud. How am I supposed to understand any of this? What the hell is the scaling here anyway?
As if responding to his confusion, the air around him trembled. The Void rippled like a stone had been tossed into the endless black. Joey stumbled back slightly, his heart pounding as the glow of the interface flickered back into existence before him - brighter and sharper than before.
This time, new text began to form, scrolling across the dark expanse like it was being written for him in real time. The letters shimmered with an ethereal clarity, the glow more focused and precise.
Joey Weave
Age: 20
Path: Wanderer
Unique Thread: "Knowledge Beyond Time"
Power Scaling:
Foundation > Awakening
Attributes:
- Perception: Basic > Advanced
- Adaptation: Developing > Improving
- Physical Resilience: Steady > Tough
Connections:
- The Hunter (Lucius): Friendly > Bonded
- The Unknown (Void): Undefined
“Perception, Adaptation, Resilience...” Joey muttered as he read each line carefully, his eyes narrowing in thought. It wasn’t lost on him that these were areas he had struggled with the past few days. Perception? That could mean noticing things faster or being more aware, like when he spotted Lucius’ wound earlier. Adaptation? Maybe it had something to do with how quickly he was adjusting to all of this fighting, surviving and thinking. And Resilience... well, the ache in his arms and legs told him that he’d certainly been pushing himself harder than ever before.
Then his gaze landed on the word Connections. "Bonded" it now said beside Lucius name. Joey paused, the word stirring something deeper within him.
Bonded
It wasn’t a simple descriptor like friendly or acquaintance, tt carried weight, a sense of permanence that struck Joey harder than he expected.
This wasn’t just about companionship or mutual trust. It was something closer to family—unspoken but undeniable. Like a thread pulling them together, forged through shared struggle and moments where life itself hung in the balance. Lucius wasn’t just a guide or a temporary ally. Despite the short time they had known each other, Joey felt the roots of something stronger forming, a bond that mirrored the kind of loyalty and understanding you’d only expect between brothers.
Joey couldn’t fully explain it, but in that moment, he knew it felt right. Bonded wasn’t just a word, it was a promise, and one he had every intention of keeping.
“This is... progress, I guess,” he murmured. A flicker of determination stirred in his chest, even amidst the lingering confusion. "But if this is progress, what’s next? And what does it mean for me?”
No answer came. The Void remained as silent as ever.
Joey sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the familiar pull of frustration creeping in again. He opened his mouth to voice another question, but before he could, a new ripple tore through the Void.
The interface shimmered once more, and additional text began to form, almost as if in response to his lingering doubts. Joey watched in stunned silence as the Void seemed to whisper answers back to him:
System Scaling Explained
- Foundation: The starting point. The body, mind, and abilities are at their natural baseline. Basic survival.
- Awakening: The point of realization and adaptation. Capabilities begin to grow and evolve.
- Refined: Skills sharpen, becoming deliberate and effective. The individual has a clear understanding of their abilities.
- Honed: Mastery of skills and attributes. Precision, strength, and clarity are nearly unmatched.
- Synchronized: A seamless merging of body, mind, and ability. Actions are instinctive, and limits are redefined.
Joey stared at the text, his breath caught in his throat. Each word seemed to burn itself into his memory, filling in gaps he didn’t even know he had. Power Scaling: Foundation > Awakening
Foundation
Awakening
Refined
Honed
Synchronized
"Awakening," Joey repeated to himself, the word lingering on his tongue. It wasn’t just a concept, it felt like a doorway he had only begun to step through. If this was just the second step, then what would it mean to reach "Refined" or even "Honed"? And what kind of person would he have to become to reach "Synchronized"?
“So... this is the system?” Joey murmured, his voice hushed as if afraid the Void itself might respond. “And I’m only at... Awakening?” His gaze drifted back to the glowing interface, the attributes now staring back at him like silent promises.
In the silence of the Void, Joey felt himself begin to drift, the darkness folding around him like a blanket as sleep pulled him back into the world he had left behind.
Joey woke up to the soft glow of daylight filtering through the trees. The warmth of the rising sun kissed his face, and for a moment, he forgot where he was. But the sight before him brought everything back. The campfire from the night before had burned out completely, leaving only a bed of ash and faint embers. The air was cool and still, and the world around him was eerily quiet, as though the forest itself was waiting.
"Good morning..."
The voice was faint, hoarse, but unmistakable.
Joey’s head snapped toward the sound, his heart leaping in his chest. Lucius. He was awake. His voice was weak, and his face pale, but his eyes were open. Alive. Relief surged through Joey, so sudden and overwhelming that his knees nearly gave out.
“Good morning...” Joey breathed back, a tired smile breaking across his face. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.
Lucius lay on the bedding Joey had fashioned, his movements sluggish as he shifted slightly and winced from the strain. Despite the pain etched into his features, the faint trace of a smirk appeared.
“I see... you didn’t let me die after all” Lucius muttered, his words slow and broken, but laced with quiet gratitude.
Joey let out a shaky laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “I still owed you one” he said, his voice trembling under the weight of everything he’d endured.
Lucius tried to chuckle but coughed instead, a harsh, painful sound that made Joey flinch. Quickly, Joey grabbed the water flask and knelt beside him. “Here, drink this. Slowly” he said, gently lifting Lucius head and helping him sip.
Lucius drank in small, careful sips, the cool water soothing his throat. After a moment, he leaned back into the bedding, his breathing settling slightly. “Not bad... for someone who doesn’t know what the hell they’re doing” Lucius teased, his voice faint but familiar.
Joey grinned, the tension in his shoulders easing a little. “Didn’t exactly have a choice. You’re too stubborn to just die.”
Lucius glanced at him, and for a brief moment, something unspoken passed between them, an understanding forged in shared struggle. Words weren’t needed; they both knew the weight of what they had survived.
“We really killed that Bastard, you’re stronger than you look, kid” Lucius said softly, closing his eyes as exhaustion pulled him back into rest.
“Kid? You’re, like, three years older than me” Joey shot back, raising an eyebrow.
Lucius smirked faintly, his eyes still closed. “Maybe. But you look way younger”
“Fair...” Joey muttered, shaking his head with a small grin.
He sat back on his heels, exhaling deeply as he studied Lucius’ bandaged side. The bleeding had stopped for now, but Joey knew it wouldn’t hold forever. Lucius was alive, yes, but far from out of danger. They couldn’t stay here much longer.
Joey glanced around the camp. The fire had died, their supplies were running low, and the forest, once a refuge, now felt more hostile with every passing minute. He needed to plan, to figure out how to get them both out of here alive. But for now, Lucius was breathing, and that was enough of a victory.
“Rest up” Joey murmured, his voice steady as he stood and stretched his stiff limbs. “I’ll take care of the rest.”
He set to work tidying up the camp, gathering their remaining supplies, and checking the state of their water. His mind, however, was racing, flashing back to the fight with the beast, Lucius collapsing, the trek through the forest, and that strange dream again...
Everything seemed to be pulling him toward something bigger, something he wasn’t ready to understand yet. But that didn’t matter right now.
Joey had work to do. He had a friend who needed him.
And he wasn’t about to let him down.
