23 City of Ravens 9 (1/2)

Sunrays hitting my eyelids jolted my brain to action. The dry blood on my face made my skin feel stiff. Pain coming from my ribs made my head feel dizzy, my vision sharpened allowing me to see my surroundings. Laying on the edge of a cave I saw the inside wasn't deep, barely a few meters in, while the entrance was coved with thick bushes that scarcely any light could pass through.

I couldn't remember how I got here. I got up, and while holding my chest, I went out. My soul essence didn't recover completely, but if anything attacks me, I should be fine. I washed in a stream and looked for something to eat.

Now I regretted leaving the satellite phone in the stash to have less weight on me, alongside with the dry rations.

After killing a Jackalope, I ate him whole before I began to look for a way back to my stash.

Soon I began thinking about what happened yesterday before I passed out. The bandits that were following me, the sudden attack of a Leshy, the chase, and when I was caught. I remembered the light going through my clothes, and the feathers that appeared.

I could help but to wonder why did it happen. I knew it sucked away all the soul essence that I had, and the fathers were created by the symbols, and I could only guess that it activated to protect my life.

Either way, I was alive.

When I got back to the stash, I found it untouched. Most likely bandits were planning to attack me when they would get the most profit, and if not for the emergence of the spiritual plant they would wait longer.

I put the leather in the stash and ate some dry rations. With the satellite phone in hand, I contemplated if I should call for help. My ribs were broken, but as far as I could tell the fracture wasn't serious. There didn't seem to be any jagged edges that could puncture my lung or any major blood vessel.

On the other hand, I had new questions that I needed answering. But it will be risky to stay here while being hurt.

In the end, I decided to stay. But since it won't be a good thing to hunt for Orthrus's I will slowly make my way back while exploring if I can activate the symbols on my arm.

When I packed everything into a nice bundle, holding everything in hand, I walked toward the edge of the forest.

Form the outside it looked as if was just walking while staring into the distance. But my mind was focused on manipulating my soul essence and concentrating it on my arm. Trying to activate it I found a place where the soul essence changed for a second before disappearing.

Noticing this I began to pour more soul essence there, and soon the symbols on my arm lit up, and a black feather emerged from the light. Shaped like a spearhead and pitch black in color, it floated gently above my arm while I stared at it.

I froze in my steps while I admired the beauty and danger that this little object possessed. The edges extraordinarily sharp and the luster one of a kind. I gently felt the connection that was established between me and the feather, with my mind I made it move slightly, and it followed my command to the smallest degree.

I looked at a tree not too far away, and with a quick thought sent the feather towards it. There was no sound as the feather entered the three and went through it cleanly!

I summoned the feather back but, on its way, it disappeared.

I created another feather and waited, after a minute, or so the feather disappeared like the previous one. This means there is a limit on how long it can stay before disappearing.

I was thrilled. This power was too good!

It didn't need any substantial amount of soul essence to activate, and the power it displayed was off the charts! It could even damage a Leshy!

I hastily found a monster and created a feather. The target was a small group of goblins, there were twelve of them, all eating some kind of rotting bodies. Controlling the feather, I sent it towards the goblins.

Making the feather pierce the head of each and one of the goblins the only sound the could be heard was the sound of bodies falling!

When it was over, I went closer and admired this piece of art. Suddenly I felt the connection with the feather strengthen! From the other end something started to move towards me, and soon it entered my body.