He didn’t have to go far before running into his next Forsaken. The hound was walking around on all fours, sniffing the ground as it crossed the street. With his next step, its ear twitched and it snapped its attention to him.

  Growling, the beast stood up on its back legs and rushed down the street. James latched onto its soul and started siphoning before raising his rebar. The hound screeched in pain as its soul was pulled from its body in a stream of white flames.

  Smirking, James stepped to the side as the beast reached him. Claws tried to swipe him, and he used his rebar to guide the attack away, knocking the monster off balance. Backing up, he kept his distance as the soul flowed into his body. Dodging each attack, he listened to the monster roar in pain before it simply collapsed, its soul was now his.

  Soul absorbed: Soul Strength: 0.25

  The ember grew slightly, sending more sparks into his body. Strength suffused his muscles as he rolled his shoulders, adjusting to the new power. It wasn’t much and he was barely stronger than a mortal, but he was stronger. If he kept on his current path, he’d be able to kill the hounds instead of only dodging them, ending the fights even quicker.

  Leaving the body where it lay, he started down the road again. Scanning the streets and buildings as he passed by, he listened to the claws scratching stone. After hours of being in the city, he was growing sensitive to the sound. He could tell that the hounds were in a few buildings down different streets, but after three blocks, he didn’t find any on his direct path.

  Relaxing slightly, he continued to search the buildings and streets. The ease of his pace was astonishing as he found another hole in the street, showing him a glimpse of the tunnels beneath the city. Excitement filled him as he panned his gaze over the buildings around him. He had wandered out of the major buildings and into an area that had a large park to his left with what looked like a maintenance building near its edge. Understanding what that might mean struck him.

  Can it be that simple?

  Gripping his rebar tightly in his hand, he started walking towards the structure. His steps were light as he approached the park. The dead trees swayed in the breeze; their bark burnt from the nightly wind. It was just after noon when he checked the sky. His brows were furrowed as he scanned the park. Metal playground equipment was beyond rusted in the very center. Swings were hanging by one chain, twirling in the light breeze as they creaked and groaned. Benches had collapsed around the outside of the small playground, reminding him that parents used to sit and watch their kids play.

  This city used to be filled with thousands if not tens of thousands of people. All of it was abandoned when the war started. If only we were strong enough at the time to prevent this loss.

  Shaking his head, he arrived at the maintenance building and found its metal door was rust free and sealed tight. A small hand scanner was next to it and to his surprise, a small light was blinking every few seconds near its base.

  Does it still have power? How is that possible?

  Rubbing his chin, he reached out and pressed his hand to the panel. Just like the ones in the mortal cities, a small light passed over the surface of the panel, scanning his hand. With a click and hiss of release, the door swung open.

  The sound of the door opening was loud enough that all of the hounds around the area stopped moving. Wincing, he judged the door to be nearly a foot thick, leading to a large open room with stairs that descended into the city.

  When the tapping of claws became rapid and hurried towards him, he quickly stepped into the building. A button was on the wall near the door, and he quickly pressed it, shutting the door. To his dismay, slitted windows surrounded the building, letting in the light and brightening the space.

  Can they fit through?

  Swallowing hard, he heard howls as the monsters broke into the clearing of the park. One of the hounds slammed against the metal door, scratching and tearing as it tried to reach him.

  Lifting his rebar, he backed away from the door and scanned the windows. They were low enough that he could see out of them and his eyes widened as more than a dozen hounds were swarming the building. Their snarls dripped with saliva as they started attacking one another. The scent of blood filled the air as several of them reached through the window to slash at him. He quickly learned they couldn’t reach him.

  When the first white flame winked out, his eyes widened.

  Why am I just standing here?

  Screaming at himself for his stupidity, he held out his hand and latched onto all of the hounds that he could see. Six streams of souls flowed into him. They bent around the edges of the building as the creatures moved, flowing through the window. Those six charged the building, working together to reach him. Stone was torn into, but it quickly became apparent that the building was far tougher than those around.

  The other hounds continued to tear each other apart, and he quickly moved closer to the windows and tried to latch onto more. When he felt a sharp pain in his soul, he stopped.

  I can only latch onto six at a time…

  The restriction saddened him as he watched more white flames snuff out. The six he was siphoning waned as one of their flames was suddenly cut off as blood spurted into the air. The sudden burst of soul struck him hard, making his ember flare and sparks flooded his body.

  So, that’s what happens when they are killed while I siphon. I get a burst if I don’t drain them myself.

  Reaching out, he latched onto another, keeping his number at six. Those he was connected to turned as a group and started cutting down the other hounds. Slowly, they too started to collapse, allowing him to connect with more. After five minutes, the park was still and covered in bodies.

  Souls absorbed. Soul Strength: 0.7

  He had absorbed nine souls from the fight and his ember was shifting in his body. It was growing from the size of his pinky nail into the size of a marble. Flames began flickering off its surface as sparks drifted through his body.

  Flexing his arm, he could feel his muscles were harder, stronger, and had more endurance. His skin was tougher and more durable, reminding him of his time in Aether refinement. He was still in the early stages by comparison, but he knew he could put up a fight with many of the young boys that were just starting out.

  Leaving the bodies outside, he turned to the stairs. The building seemed to be an excellent shelter for his purposes in the city. Hopefully the tunnels were just as tough as he felt something click in his body.

  Reserves full.

  He had forgotten that the food he ate was filling his soul. His stomach felt partially empty, but not enough that he needed to eat right away. Even his thirst was held at bay as he walked to the stairs. Darkness greeted him as he peered into the depths of the city.

  How am I supposed to explore this place?

  Resting his hand on the side of the wall, he started descending. When he was no more than a few steps in, the stairwell filled with a soft glow from lights in the ceiling. They were only bright enough that he could faintly make out the shapes of the steps as his eyes strained to see.

  This place has power. How?

  The answer evaded him as he reached the bottom. The hall he was in was lined with pipes on the sides and ceiling. Lights flickered to life, pulsing in a warning red. Those further down the hall were still out, hiding how far the tunnel extended.

  Glancing over his shoulder, he found the stairwell dark once again. With his rebar in hand, he started walking. The lights shifted above him, keeping his small space lit as he explored the depths of the city. After a hundred feet, the hall branched to the north and south, presenting him with a decision.

  Do I continue to the north, or head back south?

  He didn’t know if either was good or bad. What he did know was that he never knew a place like this existed. The few times he had been in an ancient city was to train with the new recruits on how to fight the Forsaken in case they ever needed to defend their city.

  The mortals below the sect supplied materials and food to the sect. In exchange, the sect protected them from the wilds and attacks. It was a fair trade and one that had worked for hundreds of years. That wasn’t his problem anymore.

  Glancing down each hall, he decided to head south. He knew the street was above him and he could hear Forsaken scratch at the asphalt as he controlled his breathing and his steps.

  Within minutes, he came to the first hole to the surface that let sunlight into the thin hall. A chunk of asphalt and reinforced stone was crumbled on the ground that he had to step over carefully to not alert those above him.

  The pulsing red lights kept him company as he continued. He stopped judging the distance in the dark and only counted the minutes until he reached the hole he had created. With a frown, he peered into the darkness, he didn’t know how far the tunnel extended, but he was beginning to hear scratching in the distance. It was hard to tell if it was above him or in front of him.

  Shifting his bent rebar, he continued. Sweat was beading on his brow as his nerves felt like they were on a razor. Every step seemed to echo as the pulsing light was distorting his sense of space.

  Minutes passed before the hall suddenly opened up into a large room and he froze. The room pulsed red, revealing two dozen Forsaken hanging from the ceiling. What looked like bats fluttered their wings in their sleep.

  Oh shit…

  ***

  Luna sat on the edge of the cliff; her eyes closed as she pulled in the ambient Qi. Her dantian swirled as it sucked up the air attuned Qi, converting it to energy and filling her reserves. Some of it was pushed to grow her foundation in hopes to bring her to the next stage. Those in her village were mostly mortal, but the few like her were beyond the Qi refinement stage. Ren was nearly out of the foundation stage, but she was right behind him.

  Before she could savor the open air too much, her ears twitched as someone approached. She could hear the shifting of their sword on their hip and the steady slide of metal as the sword was pulled partially out of its scabbard. The only thing missing was the man’s spear tapping the ground as he walked.

  “Why have you come here?” she asked, her eyes opening.

  “I heard I’m replacing you after you brought back a paltry sum of food,” Ren stated.

  Suppressing her anger, she looked towards the cloudless sky and the crossing sun. It would be setting in a few hours, bringing with it the heat of the night that tore apart the world.

  “You’ve angered the elder,” Ren said.

  “That’s nothing new,” she said with a snort. “I anger him by simply being alive.”

  “I know.” The sound of his sword being fully removed from its scabbard made her heart stop.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, her nerves betraying her.

  She was still sitting as Ren walked closer, his bare feet shifting the dirt and stone of the cliff. Glancing over the edge of the cliff, she judged the fall to be too far. But if she was lucky, she could ride the branches of the trees below to the ground.

  “This isn’t personal,” Ren said. “But your dreams of adventure and your unwillingness to fall into your role has endangered our survival.”

  Frowning, she asked, “is that what you believe? Has the village truly corrupted you that much?”

  “It’s not corruption. The truth has always been hard for you to swallow.” Stepping closer, she listened to the fabric of his clothes shift as he raised his arm.

  “I see…” Closing her eyes, she threw herself forward as the sword descended. Air rushed past her as the forest grew ever closer. For a brief moment, she could hear Ren yelling from above.

  Opening her arms and legs, she pushed Qi into her surroundings, slowing her descent as much as she could. Her dantian ached as she exerted more than it could handle. But she was rewarded as she was guided towards the trees before touching down.

  Leaves and branches broke around her, slamming into her stomach and chest as she bounced around. Lashing out, she dug her claws into the wood to slow herself further only to connect with the ground a second later.

  Pain shot through her body as the wind was knocked from her lungs. Clutching her chest, she gasped for a breath as she looked up and watched leaves rain down around her. Branches littered the ground from her fall.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  I have to move! Get up, Luna!

  Struggling to her feet, she tried to breathe when she heard the horn from the village. The hunt was on, and she had no choice but to flee. Dropping onto all fours, she transformed into her wolf form and shook out her fur. She was one of the blessed. The rare breed of Fenrir that could shapeshift.

  With her breathing returned to her, she sprinted away. The world blurred around her as she used Qi to power her muscles. Even Ren wouldn’t be able to catch her in this form. No one could match her unless they had their solid core. Something that none in her village had.

  ***

  James didn’t know whether he should step back or fight. The bats were starting to twitch as the rebar in his hand shifted in his grip. A few flakes of rust drifted to the ground, making the decision for him.

  Opening their wings, they snapped their black eyeless heads towards him and opened their mouths. Black saliva dripped to the ground where it sizzled, and they shrieked.

  Throwing out his hand, he latched onto six of them, draining their white flames. They were smaller than the hounds and drained faster as he turned and sprinted away.

  Flapping wings followed him as the hall struggled to light his passage. Darkness claimed him as he felt the first claws tear into his back. Screaming in pain, he felt fresh blood spread down his body. Spinning, he lashed out with his rebar, crunching a bat and throwing it into the wall. He had a moment to watch its white flame snuff out as the others reached him.

  Swinging wildly, he did his best to keep them at a distance and when the ones he was siphoning died, he latched onto more. By then, his arms were shredded messes of muscle and tissue, and his chest was being carved into. Bites littered his shoulders and legs as he kicked and floundered.

  What felt like minutes of agony were only seconds as he fought back. Blood spurted from a severed artery in his shoulder as he felt his strength leave him. With one last burst of soul energy, he felt the last of the bats flow into him and he collapsed. His world turned dark as his breathing slowed. The blood flowing from his body lessened and he was taken away.

  ***

  Luna continued to sprint for all she was worth. The forest blurred past as the sun began to set. Ren and the others wouldn’t be able to hunt her for long as she passed the river that flowed to the south. Racing along its shore, she searched for anywhere she could rest for the night. The only things she was coming across were rotted buildings and boulders that wouldn’t protect her.

  Dammit! What do I do now?

  A warm breeze was already starting with the dimming light. Her people had special mobile buildings they used for the nights. Without them, she was vulnerable to death, just like anyone else caught out at night.

  Eyes scanning the world, she started to panic when she finally settled onto a collapsed stone building. Rubble was strewn around, but she could make out a small hole that she could crawl into.

  Scrambling, her claws dug into the earth as she pulled a few stones out of the way and climbed in. The space was barely big enough for her and she would have to back out when the night ended, but she was safe. The warm wind wasn’t touching her as she calmed her breathing. Focusing on her dantian, she started pulling on the air around her. She needed to replenish her reserves even if she couldn’t grow her dantian.

  ***

  James jolted awake and gasped for air. The soft pulse of red light over him was met with the acrid scent of death all around. Coppery blood clung to his tongue and his skin was sticky as the messages started coming in.

  Reserves have been depleted. Body restored to functional state. Regeneration taking over.

  Souls absorbed: Soul Strength: 0.83

  Regeneration: Level 7/10

  New skill: Corrosion Resistance: Level 2/10

  New skill: Piercing Resistance: Level 1/10

  How am I alive? I felt my heart stall at the end…

  Rereading the messages, he found the first to be disturbing. He also felt like his stomach was trying to eat him alive.

  Sustenance needed. Suitable food source all around. Suitable water alternative all around.

  The sudden message made him sit up. Out of the two dozen bats, most of their corpses were in a pile all around him. A few of them were further down the hall, their heads smashed open.

  Grabbing the nearest bat, he grimaced and tore into its chest with his teeth. Ripping a hairy chunk of flesh off the beast, he swallowed as quickly as he could. Blood slowly leaked from the wound, and he started drinking.

  I’m going to be sick…why does it have to be hairy?

  Going in for a second bite and drink, he paused as his stomach processed the food. Touching his chest, he found that his shirt was nothing more than scraps. His pants had been corroded, revealing far more of his body than he was comfortable with.

  His stomach growled at him again and he dove back into the bat. Chunk after chunk, he ate until he felt full.

  Body resources full. Time until reserves are full: Three hours and fifty-nine minutes.

  He had another four hours to wait before he could safely die again. With a small chuckle, he got to his feet and found his rebar to be melted down to stubs. Leaving it behind, he walked back to the square room that he had fled.

  His boots were falling apart when he arrived. With a calming breath, he watched the room light up with a pulsing red glow. The floor was melted in spots, but he was happy to find sealed metal containers made from the same stuff the door to the facility was.

  Walking over, he flipped their latches and opened one. Resting inside were emergency supplies used by the ancients. Packs of food, a few knives, bedding, water bottles, and what looked like a tent. It wasn’t much, but he could survive off it for a few days at least.

  Pulling out one of the knives, he tested its edge and found it to be plenty sharp. Strapping it to his thigh, he started searching more of the crates. Nearly all of them were empty or had been corroded and destroyed by the bats. With a grimace, he turned back towards the tunnel he had come from. A few of the crates had gas burners and he knew he could crudely make leather if he harvested the bats. It wouldn’t protect him from the hounds or other bats, but it would cover him from the elements.

  Settling his thoughts, he returned to the bats. He brought one of the sealed chests with him to help make the brine. He had plenty of water bottles to mix with the brains. Starting with those, he bashed open the bats’ heads and pulled out their brains and added them to the chest. Pouring in water, he blanched as he used his hands to smoosh and mix it all together.

  With that resting, he started skinning the bats. It was long, grueling work and the only thing keeping him company was the pulsing light overhead. When he judged he had enough hides to make crude clothing, he started scraping the flesh from their underside.

  Hours passed as he added finished hides to the brine and let them soak. Once he had them done, he laid down and closed his eyes. A message was waiting for him.

  New skill: Crude Tanning: Level 1/10

  With a small chuckle, he felt new knowledge fill him. Glancing at the chest, he understood that he could have added different reagents to help the process that he didn’t have access to. With nothing to do for it, he closed his eyes again and fell asleep.

  What felt like seconds, his exhaustion passed as he woke. The brine was starting to stink, and he grabbed the first of the hides and started the burner. The open flame heated the space around him, and he started baking the hide. It truly was the crudest way he could make leather.

  He could feel hours passing by the time he got through every piece. Using his knife, he cut two of the leather pieces into strips and started punching holes through the remaining pieces. Stitching them together, he created a shirt and leggings. His boots were the most haphazard pieces as he slipped everything on. It had taken most of the morning, or night, he wasn’t sure, to finish the gear.

  New skill: Crude Leatherwork: Level 1/10

  New skill: Crude Armor Crafting: Level 1/10

  He ignored the information given to him as it was so miniscule that it didn’t help. Putting his knife away, he found his stomach still felt full as he agreed that exploring the tunnels without further preparation was stupid. On the surface, he could hunt lone hounds and get more Soul Strength for the kills. They also didn’t melt him.

  Retrieving one last chest of supplies, he stuffed it with as much food and water as he could and carried it back to the building he entered from. Hounds were spread around the building, eating their brethren as the sun shone in the morning.

  Setting down his chest, he caused all of the hounds to turn to him as they started to growl. With a sigh, he raised his hand and latched onto six of them. The other four started tearing at each other and the six that he was siphoning. The siphoned monsters tore at the building, failing to reach him.

  Pulling out the sleeping equipment, he set it up while the souls entered his body. Leaving the food and water in the chest, he felt the first soul wink out before another. Getting up, he latched onto another two before watching them all start to fall. When the last spark of soul entered him, he felt his ember grow in size and flames lifted off it, filling his body with warmth.

  Souls absorbed. Soul Strength: 1.07

  It appears that the big gains are gone.

  The shifting in his body continued as another message appeared.

  Soul Strength has reached a new threshold. Full integration of soul established. New Soul Skill: Soul Strike.

  Blinking in surprise, he felt his soul settle as the ember turned into a small ball of fire that sent flickering sparks into his body. He was now fully in the beginning of what cultivators would be reaching after a year of study. With a laugh, he realized he reached it in a little more than a day.

  Knowledge of the skill settled into his soul, and he found that he could now strike the very soul of his target with a burst of power that would absorb a large chunk of energy while hurting them. It wasn’t very strong yet, but as his soul grew, it would hit harder and possibly kill targets instantly.

  With a smile, he finished settling his supplies before walking to the door. With a simple press of the button, he watched it swing open as he prepared to explore more of the city. He was on the hunt to build his soul. He would need to kill nearly a hundred more hounds to reach the next level of his soul.

  ***

  Luna backed out of the rubble, her body aching and stiff as she started moving around. The forest was alive with life after the torturous night, and she moved to the river’s edge.

  Lapping up water, she warily peered into the river’s depths. Forsaken liked to swim in the waters and she hastily drank what she needed to move on. Focusing on the sounds of the forest, she sensed a large creature lumbering around not more than a hundred feet from her. Downwind, she had the advantage as she started to sniff.

  Blood was already in the air as she started to make her way through the trees. She had spent most of the night refilling her dantian and could now attack with Qi if needed. If the monster she was stalking was dangerous, she would kill it quickly and feast before moving on.

  Lowering herself to the ground, she inched forward the last few feet and peered over the bushes. A small bear cub was eating the corpse of a Horned Rabbit. The cub was still larger than the rabbit by nearly double the size. Blood dripped from its maw as the sound of tearing flesh filled the air.

  Careful not to disturb the bushes, she entered the small clearing and couched low. Filling her legs and claws with air element, she extended blades from her paws and leapt. Her silent approach took the bear unawares and she nearly severed its head before it could react.

  Hitting the ground, she whirled and watched the bear take a stumbling step before collapsing. With a feeling of pride, she walked forward and started eating the rabbit. The bear’s meat was too tough to eat without cooking, but the rabbit was perfect.

  Soon, blood was flowing down her chin as raw meat settled into her stomach. After a few hurried minutes, she listened to another predator approach and took off running. She only wanted to fight when she had too. Replenishing her Qi would be taxing and slow her pace. For now, she needed to flee as far as she could. Ren and the other hunters would only venture so far from the village.

  ***

  James slunk to the edge of a building, his knife in his hand as he listened to his surroundings. His soul thrummed with power as he moved to the doorway leading to his next target. The hounds were mostly solo Forsaken that only moved in packs when fresh meat was available. Like the area around his shelter.

  With steps as quietly as he could muster, he slid through the doorway and scanned the building. He was in another shop, only this one had shelves that once held food and supplies. Everything was gone, apart from a few corroded strips of paper. The register was open and rusted beyond use and glass littered the ground, making his approach hazardous.

  The hound was further into the building, likely in the storage room as he listened to it snuffle around. He could already picture the slunk over figure of the hound sniffing the ground as it sensed fresh blood in the nearby area.

  Shifting his knife to a reverse grip, he stepped forward and promptly kicked a shard of glass. Wincing, he listened to the beast stop and he copied it. A moment later, it started to move again, coming closer as it sniffed the air. When it started to growl, he knew the fight was on.

  Raising his hand, he siphoned the monster the moment it peeked into the room. With a roar, it charged out and he activated his new skill. Soul Strike hit the soul of the hound and exploded. The white flames of the monster blew outwards, escaping the creature’s body as blood flew into the air. Flesh was rent as the hound slid across the ground, whining.

  All of that soul energy flowed into James, strengthening him, but putting his skill on some sort of cooldown. He could feel it in his soul that if he tried to use it again, he would tear a part off his soul. The pain would render him incapable of fighting.

  Despite the restriction, the hound barely made it back to its feet before he siphoned what remained of its soul.

  Soul absorbed. Soul Strength: 1.08

  It wasn’t much of a gain, but he had nothing but time to hunt many more Forsaken. The city was massive, and he had only traversed a small section of a few blocks. Not to mention that he had the underground layer to explore as well.

  With a smile, he left the hound behind and started searching for another foe. His knife was held tight as he creeped down the street. The scent of fresh meat was rich in the air, and he could hear hounds gathering from blocks away. Their claws tore into the concrete as they jogged or ran towards his shelter.

  It would be suicide to attack a large pack while out in the open and with that in mind, he hurried to a fire escape and started climbing. The rusty metal broke in several sections, clattering metal to the ground. He was surprised the ladder didn’t collapse, preventing him from climbing.

  Once he was on top of the four-story building, he overlooked the park. Nearly two dozen hounds were converging on the multitude of bodies that were spread around his shelter. With a small laugh, he held out his hand and latched onto six of them.

  A pain flowed through his soul as it strained to absorb their souls. The distance between them was on the very edge of his limit and he was only half a block away.

  Grinding his teeth, he rode out the pain as the hounds snapped their attention to him and abandoned their feast. The other hounds didn’t give them a moment’s notice as they fell onto the corpses.

  The six hounds raced towards his building, their claws tearing into the hardpacked earth of the park. His smile grew as he felt the pain lessen as they drew closer. He could see their flames flickering and fading as they started digging into the walls of the building and began climbing.

  Peering over the edge, he judged that he was pulling on their souls faster than before and thus, receiving less energy from them. The easier a creature was to absorb, the weaker it benefitted his soul. A piece of knowledge that he would file away for the future.

  Before the six hounds reached him, he watched their souls flicker out and their bodies fell to the ground. Heads cracked open, spreading blood over the concrete as he turned his attention to the other eighteen Forsaken. They were feasting well, but he needed their souls.

  Holding up his hand, he began siphoning. Another six monsters bled into him as they stopped eating and turned their attention to his building. Roaring into the air, they sprinted in rage. He continued to smile as his soul sent flickers of strength through his body while growing in strength.

  He could feel it processing the souls it was eating. With a wicked laugh, he watched the new pack of hounds crash to the ground before they reached half way up his building.

  Repeating the attack a third and fourth time, he gathered quite the number of corpses below him. The sound of hounds approaching around the city slowed and he could hear whining as many of them turned back. A few brave souls ventured into the park and scanned the shelter and his building.

  They must have been smarter than he realized as they quickly backed away, their whines filling the air. With a frown, he listened to the nearby blocks clear of Forsaken as they clearly sensed a predator amongst them.

  Looks like I will have to hunt them down. Dammit.

  The sun was already high in the sky as he climbed down from the building. The fire escape collapsed the rest of the way, and he quickly avoided it as he hurried back to his shelter.

  Stepping inside, he closed the door and sat down. Grabbing a bottle of water, he popped the cap and took a small drink. When his body protested against the water, he frowned.

  Body resources full.

  The simple message made him frown. Looking at the bottle, he slowly put the cap back on and set it aside.

  Can I really only eat and drink when my soul determines it needs it? What the hell kind of system is that? Also, I haven’t gone to the bathroom in over a day…

  Turning to his soul, he found that his old core and spirit veins had been completely absorbed. The flickering flame was powering him fully as the small orb pulsed with life. Checking his Soul Strength, he smiled.

  Soul Strength: 1.32

  If he could hunt down a few more packs, he would reach the next level swiftly. Rubbing his hands together, he prepared to set out into the city again.