Kale woke up in the morning, the remnants of last night's fire still smoldering faintly. He stretched, feeling the cool breeze brush against his skin. The air carried a dampness that hinted at rain in the coming days. Kale frowned slightly—this wasn't ideal. If it rained, navigating the forest would become even more treacherous.
"The lower parts of the mountainous region are notoriously dangerous," Kale muttered under his breath.
His thoughts drifted back to the tracks he'd seen last night—the deep gashes and pools of blood scattered across the ground. It hadn't been just any beast; whatever it was had crossed paths with sect members. But why hadn't anyone called for help? Why weren't the elders stepping in?
"Maybe the elders haven't noticed the commotion yet—or worse, they're deliberately ignoring it."
Maybe this festival is meant to weed out the weak, Kale thought grimly. But if that's true... then survival isn't the only test here.
•---•
Kale rubbed his eyes, adjusting to the dim light filtering through the misty canopy above. As his vision cleared, he noticed faint golden motes drifting lazily in the air, almost invisible against the gray haze of the forest. At first, he dismissed them as tricks of the morning light or fatigue from lack of sleep.
"I need to eat something," he said aloud, glancing around. "But what?"
Just then, the motes began moving purposefully, drifting toward a specific direction. Curious, Kale followed them instinctively. After walking for several minutes, he stumbled upon a patch of red mushrooms glowing faintly with golden threads woven around their stems.
"What's going on with my vision today?" Kale wondered softly, tilting his head as he studied the mushrooms. "These things look like they're part of the Ocean of Knowledge."
Drawn by an inexplicable pull, Kale reached out mentally, brushing against a thread connected to the mushrooms. A mote hovered nearby, pulsing gently as though inviting him closer. Without thinking, he touched it—and suddenly, bits of information surged into his mind. These are safe to eat, and boiling them enhances their nutritional value.
Kale froze, stunned.
"Wait," he whispered, glancing around nervously. "I didn't even sit down to seek. I'm not supposed to be able to do that."
•---•
He decided to experiment further, testing this newfound "ability" of his.
"Is this normal? Can others do it too?" Kale murmured to himself as he wandered through the underbrush, focusing on objects around him—plants, rocks, even patches of moss. Sure enough, faint threads and motes appeared wherever he looked, offering glimpses of insight. While these snippets weren't as comprehensive as what he could glean through proper seeking, they were enough to guide him.
"So I can 'seek' while awake?" he mused aloud. "This is… really strange."
•---•
Returning to his makeshift camp, Kale sat cross-legged by the dying embers of his fire, lost in thought.
"This ability—it sets me apart, but how? And why?" he said quietly, staring into the flickering flames.
Is it tied to my mysterious origins? he wondered. Was I abandoned at the sect's gates for a reason?
Questions swirled in his mind, each one raising more uncertainty than answers. For now, all he knew was that he had an edge over others—an advantage he needed to keep hidden.
•---•
Just as he began gathering wood to rekindle the fire, footsteps echoed outside the cave entrance. Kale froze, his hand tightening around a piece of kindling.
"Who's there?" he called out, his voice steady despite the unease creeping up his spine.