Watcher of Fate

Elara stood in the cavern, her eyes scanning the dim surroundings. The damp air clung to her skin, and the dripping water echoes filled the silence. She sighed, the exhaustion from the recent spider battle still weighing on her. "I need a weapon," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "If I'm going to venture further, I can't rely on just my fists."

She glanced at her hands, still trembling slightly from the venom's aftereffects. "Killing one giant spider took more than an entire day's regeneration to recover from. I need to get better," she said, her tone filled with determination. Her gaze flickered towards the [Enfeebled Spirit Tree], and she instinctively kept her distance from it.

Frustration began to build as she searched the cavern, finding nothing useful. "Nothing. There's nothing here," she grumbled, kicking a loose stone. "I need something to kill more than a spider a day. And who knows, the spiders might not even be the toughest things in this dungeon."

The Spirit Tree shook slightly, catching her attention as if responding to her thoughts. Elara narrowed her eyes, curiosity piqued. "What was that?" she asked, moving a step closer. "Hey, Spirit Tree, can you understand me?"

The tree remained still. Elara tilted her head, considering. "Do you want more spirits, like the one you got from the spider?" she asked, and the tree shook slightly in response. "Huh, so yes or no questions work," she mused. "Do you want me to bring you more spirits?"

The tree shook again, more vigorously this time. Elara frowned. "I could help, but I need a weapon," she said, hoping for a response. Suddenly, the tree shook violently and dropped a thick stick at its base.

Elara stared at the stick, her eyes widening.

[Spirit Tree stick (Excellent)] is a crafting item that could be used as a basic club.

You have identified a new magic item: 10 exp.

"Thank you," Elara said, her voice filled with cautious gratitude. She carefully picked up the stick, half expecting it to lash at her. As she lifted it, a sudden ding echoed in her ears, making her jump.

Added [Spirit Tree stick (Excellent)]

Skill True Sight (Legendary) level increased.

"System, you scared the crap out of me," she muttered, her heart racing. The System, as always, remained silent. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to the tree. "Alright, Spirit Tree. I'm going to try killing more monsters. Thanks for the stick." A new notification popped up.

---

Quest Alert!

Feed the Spirit Tree.

Difficulty: E Rank

Objective: Provide the spirit tree with 500 spirits.

Rewards: Varies

Do you want to accept the quest (yes/no)

---

Elara mentally accepted the quest. The notification box shimmered and vanished, replaced by a warm glow emanating from the [Enfeebled Spirit Tree] before her. "Thank you for this opportunity," she whispered, bowing in reverence. The branches shook and seemed to murmur in acknowledgment.

With the new weapon in hand and her quest accepted, Elara made her way to the thin fissure that served as an exit from the cavern. She slipped through it and found herself in the familiar hallway. This time, she looked up first, then side to side, ensuring no surprises awaited her. The hallway was eerily quiet, and even the spider she had killed earlier was nowhere to be seen.

Slowly, she began to sneak down the hallway, holding the stick in front of her like a talisman. The silence was unnerving, every step echoing in the cavernous space. Then, she heard it, a faint skittering sound. Peering around the corner, she saw another giant spider walking down a side hall, its back turned to her.

Elara stared at the spider, willing the identification box to appear. The sudden ding made her jump slightly, and the spider turned, sensing her presence. It charged at her with frightening speed.

Elara gripped the stick tightly, readying herself for the fight. The spider lunged, trying to bite her with its venomous fangs. She swung the stick, deflecting its attack. The spider hissed and jumped again, aiming for her neck. Elara ducked, striking the spider's leg and causing it to stumble.

The battle was fierce. The spider lashed out with its front legs, trying to pin her down, but Elara was quick, sidestepping and swinging her stick with all her might. She landed a solid hit on the spider's thorax, causing it to recoil. The spider retaliated with rapid bites, its fangs glistening with venom. Elara blocked most of the strikes with her stick, but one fang grazed her arm, sending a burning sensation through her veins.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, she pressed her advantage. She aimed for the spider's legs, landing another strong hit that cracked the chitinous armor. The spider screeched, momentarily stunned. Elara took the opportunity to circle, slamming the stick into the back of its head. The impact made the spider's legs buckle, and it collapsed to the ground, twitching.

Seizing the moment, Elara raised the stick high and brought it down with all her strength on the spider's head. The creature convulsed violently before finally lying still. She stepped back, panting heavily, watching the spider's body shudder and then go limp.

"That...was close," she breathed, wiping sweat from her brow. She glanced at the Spirit Tree stick, feeling a newfound appreciation for the crude weapon. "Guess this stick isn't so bad after all."

Elara stared at the fallen spider, her breath heavy and her muscles aching. She wanted to see if the spirit would leave and head to the tree, just as it had before. She worried that she might need to be closer, but after about five minutes, a faint, ghostly form began to rise from the spider's corpse. The spirit floated down the hallway, heading back towards the Spirit Tree.

Moments after the spirit departed, the spider's body rapidly decayed, releasing a toxic-smelling vapor cloud. The stench was overwhelming, a nauseating mix of rotting flesh and acrid chemicals. Elara gagged, covering her mouth and nose with her arm. "I definitely need to be further away when they die," she muttered to herself, stepping back quickly.

She glanced at her notifications.

Skill Forgettable (Rare) level increased.

[Lvl 7 Giant Cave Spider (Common)]

You have identified a new monster: 1 exp

You have recorded a death: 10 exp

Quest updated: 1 of 500 spirits collected.

"These notifications," Elara said, her voice tinged with frustration, "I wish I could just have a summary on, except for what I explicitly ask for. That ding for the skill increase almost got me killed." A new popup appeared.

Do you want to receive summaries instead of real-time updates for basic information (yes/no)?

"Yes," Elara responded immediately. Another notification popped up.

Preferences changed.

To see a summary, think summary.

Elara nodded to herself, feeling a bit more in control. "Alright, back to the quest," she said, refocusing her mind. She gripped the [Spirit Tree stick (Uncommon)] and began sneaking down the hallway again, her senses on high alert for any signs of danger. The dim light and echoing silence of Barrowdeep felt less daunting now, her determination bolstered by the small victories and new skills she had gained.

As she moved further, a new scraping noise reached her ears. It sounded different from the spider's skittering, more deliberate and heavy. Elara's pulse quickened, and she crouched low, inching towards the source of the sound.

Creeping around a corner, she saw an undead dwarf slowly descending the hall. Its skin was like dried, aged leather, taut over its bones, and its eyes glazed over like a dead fish. The dwarf's gear was utilitarian and sturdy, a functional shield strapped to its arm, a well-worn axe clutched in its hand, and armor that looked like it had been forged for a soldier of a kingdom. The armor was not ornate, but it was robust and practical, designed to withstand the rigors of battle.

Elara focused intently, her eyes narrowing as she concentrated on the figure. As if responding to her mental command, a shimmering light enveloped the dwarf. The air around it seemed to hum with energy, and then, with a soft, magical chime, the identification box appeared, floating in the air before her.

[Lvl 19 Dwarf Revenant (Common)]

Elara's heart pounded in her chest. "Level 19," she thought, her mind racing. "That's twelve levels higher than the spider I killed and nine higher than me. This thing is well into the bronze level."

She started to back away slowly, her stomach churning with fear. Her breaths came in shallow, rapid bursts, and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead. Every instinct screamed at her to flee, but her body felt frozen, her legs heavy and unresponsive. Realizing her predicament sent a chill down her spine, her fingers trembling as they gripped the stick tighter.

A sudden noise behind her made her heart skip a beat, the same scraping sound echoing in the confined space. She turned, her movements jerky with terror, and saw another Dwarf Revenant approaching from the opposite direction. Panic surged through her, nearly overwhelming her senses. She forced herself to focus, her vision narrowing as the same magical light enveloped the second dwarf. Another identification box appeared with a soft chime.

[Lvl 18 Dwarf Revenant (Common)]

Elara's breath caught in her throat. She was trapped between two formidable foes far stronger than anything she had faced before. The walls seemed to close in around her, the air thick with dread. Her mind raced for a solution, but all she could feel was the paralyzing fear tightening its grip on her heart.

Grabbing hold of her fear, she forced herself to think of her mother. "What would she do?" Elara whispered to herself. Her mother had always been calm and collected in the face of danger. She would face it head-on, with courage and determination. Drawing strength from this thought, Elara pushed the fear down, her mind clearing as she regained control.

With newfound resolve, Elara focused on the nearest Dwarf Revenant, the level 18 one. She took a deep breath, then broke into a sprint. She felt the draw and ease her [Lvl 10 Parkour (Uncommon)] skill gave her, allowing her to move quickly and unpredictably in the narrow hallway. Using the dungeon's walls to her advantage, she executed precise movements—first, a quick wall run on the left, pushing off to gain height and speed. She landed softly, ready for action.

As she closed the distance, she swung the Spirit Tree stick in a wide arc, aiming for the dwarf's head. The Revenant raised its shield just in time, the stick clanging against the sturdy metal. It countered with a swift slash of its axe. Elara barely dodged, the blade grazing her arm but not biting in.

Ignoring the sting, Elara rolled to the side, sprang up, and launched herself off the wall for another attack. She brought the stick down hard, but the Revenant blocked with its shield again, pushing her back with surprising force. She stumbled, the dwarf's axe catching her side as she regained her footing. -45 HP

Gritting her teeth against the pain, Elara moved with agility, using the walls for momentum. She feinted to the left, then pivoted sharply to the right, bringing her stick down on the dwarf's shoulder. The blow landed with a solid thud, making the Revenant stagger. Enraged, it swung its axe wildly, catching Elara's leg. -26 HP

Determined, Elara pressed on. She bounced off the wall again, her body a blur of motion. With a powerful downward strike, she aimed for the dwarf's exposed neck. The Revenant tried to raise its shield, but she was faster this time. The stick connected with a crack, and the dwarf crumpled to the ground, its shield and axe clattering beside it.

Elara didn't have a moment to catch her breath. The second Dwarf Revenant, seeing its comrade fall, charged at her with a furious roar. Steeling herself, she readied her Spirit Tree stick and tapped into her [Lvl 10 Parkour (Uncommon)] skill again.

Elara ran along the right wall with a burst of speed, her feet barely touching the ground before she launched herself at the Revenant. She swung her stick at the dwarf's head, but it raised its shield just in time, deflecting the blow with a loud clang. The Revenant countered with a swift chop of its axe, catching her shoulder. -39 HP

Ignoring the pain, Elara used the momentum to spin away and kick off the opposite wall, coming at the Revenant from a different angle. She aimed for its side, but the dwarf turned, absorbing the hit with its shield. It swung its axe low, and she jumped to avoid it, but the blade grazed her leg. -27 HP

Landing lightly, she immediately rolled forward, coming up with a quick thrust to the Revenant's midsection. The stick connected, making the dwarf grunt and stagger back. It retaliated with a powerful downward strike of its axe. Elara raised her stick to block, feeling the shock of the impact travel down her arms.

She pushed off the wall again, running up and flipping over the Revenant. As she descended, she struck at its back, the stick hitting home and making the dwarf stumble. It turned with surprising agility, catching her side with a swift slash. -34 HP

Elara winced but kept moving, using the narrow hallway to her advantage. She ran along the left wall, bouncing off to quickly jab the dwarf's shoulder. The Revenant blocked with its shield and swung its axe in a wide arc. Elara ducked just in time, feeling the blade whoosh past her. She swung her stick at its legs, landing a solid hit and making the dwarf drop to one knee.

Seizing the moment, she ran up the wall again and flipped over the dwarf, landing behind it. She brought the stick down on the back of its neck with all her strength. The Revenant tried to raise its shield, but she was too fast. The stick connected with a satisfying crack, and the dwarf crumpled to the ground, its shield and axe clattering beside it.

Elara quickly backed away from the dwarves on the ground, her breath coming in ragged gasps. As the adrenaline from the fight began to subside, the pain from her wounds surged to the forefront of her mind. Every cut and bruise throbbed relentlessly, and the deeper gashes burned as if set on fire. She could feel the sticky warmth of her own blood seeping through her clothes, each movement sending fresh waves of agony through her battered body. Her limbs felt heavy, her muscles trembling with fatigue. Doubt crept into her mind, the realization of her vulnerability sinking in. She had lost a hundred times more HP in the fight than she had a few hours ago. How was she supposed to survive in the dungeons, surrounded by such powerful foes? The thought gnawed at her, a cold fear settling in her chest. She had come this far, but could she really keep going, wounded and alone? Not that she had much of a choice: give up and die or keep moving forward. She knew which her mother would have wanted.

She took a moment to check her surroundings, making sure no more enemies were lurking nearby. Then she returned to the fallen dwarves, waiting for the spirits to depart. After a few tense minutes, ghostly forms began to rise from the corpses, drifting toward the Spirit Tree. As the spirits left, the dwarves' bodies started to decay rapidly, their armors and weapons disintegrating into a foul-smelling smoke.

Elara watched from a distance, relieved to be far enough away to avoid the stench. However, as the armor and weapons dissolved along with the bodies, a sense of frustration washed over her. "So much for getting new gear," she muttered, shaking her head. The prospect of finding usable equipment had been a fleeting hope, quickly dashed by the reality of the dungeon's cruel magic.

Determined to follow the spirits, she began to make her way back to the Spirit Tree. Each step was a struggle, her body protesting with every movement. Her vision blurred with pain, and she had to stop several times to steady herself against the rough stone walls. Every shadow seemed to hide a potential threat, her fear of encountering more monsters in her weakened state growing with each passing moment. The eerie silence of the dungeon amplified her anxiety, every scrape of her boots against the stone echoing ominously in the narrow corridors.

Her breath came in shallow gasps, and her legs felt like lead as she pushed forward. The journey back seemed endless, the spirits' faint glow her only guide. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she reached the [Enfeebled Spirit Tree] and collapsed near its base, her body screaming for rest.

She sat down, leaning against the tree's trunk, and closed her eyes. Focusing on her breathing, she took deep, steady breaths, trying to calm her racing heart and ignore the throbbing pain from her wounds. The rhythmic pattern of her breath slowly helped her relax, and she felt her body begin the slow process of regeneration. The soft hum of the [Enfeebled Spirit Tree]'s energy enveloped her, offering a small measure of comfort amidst the agony.

Elara let her mind drift as she sat there, waiting for her health to regenerate. She thought of her mother, of the trials she had faced, and of the challenges still ahead. Despite the pain, a sense of determination filled her. She had come this far, and she would continue to fight, no matter the odds. Her mind wandered further, and she envisioned a vibrant, lush tree, its branches heavy with leaves and fruit, standing tall and proud in a sunlit glade. The image brought a sense of peace, a reminder of life and growth amid the darkness. With this calming thought, Elara finally let go, her mind drifting away.