The frostwolf's snarl was a guttural promise of death, its breath steaming in the moonlit clearing. Caelum Ashborn gripped his rusted sword, its chipped edge gleaming faintly as he braced against the snow-crusted ground. The beast's blue eyes locked onto him, twin lanterns of hunger, and its massive paws churned the snow as it circled. At twice his height, the frostwolf could crush him with a single swipe, dragon soul or no. But Caelum wasn't running. Not tonight.
"Engage or perish," the Apocalypse System's cold voice echoed in his skull. "Quest: Spark of Defiance. Slay the frostwolf. Time remaining: ten minutes."
"Ten minutes?"
Caelum muttered, dodging as the wolf lunged, its jaws snapping inches from his shoulder. He rolled through the snow, the cold biting his skin through his threadbare cloak. "You're a bastard, you know that?"
"Focus, host. Your swordsmanship is basic, but your will is not. Use it."
Caelum scrambled to his feet, heart pounding. The system's words were a goad, but they sparked something in him—a fire that had smoldered through years of scorn and exile. He tightened his grip, eyes darting over the wolf's movements. Its muscles bunched, telegraphing another charge. He had no magic, no dragon soul, just a blade and his wits. That would have to be enough.The wolf sprang, a blur of white fur and claws. Caelum sidestepped, slashing upward. His sword grazed the beast's flank, drawing a thin line of blood. The wolf howled, more enraged than hurt, and swiped with a paw that could shatter stone. Caelum dove, the claw whistling over his head, and landed hard on his side. Pain flared, but he gritted his teeth and rose, snow clinging to his cloak like ash."Faster," he growled to himself, circling the beast. The system's panel flickered in his vision:
Host Status:Health: 85% (Minor Bruising)Stamina: 70%Combat Analysis: Frostwolf (Tier 1 Beast) – Weakness: Exposed underbelly during rear leap.
"Underbelly," Caelum whispered, eyes narrowing. The wolf charged again, jaws wide. He feinted left, then dove right, rolling beneath its leap. His sword thrust upward, sinking into soft flesh. The wolf's howl turned shrill, and it crashed into the snow, blood staining the white in crimson arcs.Caelum staggered back, gasping. The beast thrashed, then stilled, its eyes dimming. He stood over it, chest heaving, sword dripping. For the first time in years, he felt alive.
"Quest complete: Spark of Defiance," the system announced. "Rewards granted: Dragon Soul Awakening, 100 System Points, Beginner's Flame Elixir Recipe. Processing…"
A searing heat bloomed in Caelum's chest, like a coal flaring to life. He dropped to one knee, clutching his ribs as the warmth spread, pulsing in time with his heartbeat. His vision blurred, and a faint roar echoed in his mind—not the wolf's, but something ancient, vast, like a dragon stirring in its slumber. When the pain subsided, he felt… different. Stronger. A spark flickered in his veins, faint but undeniable.
"Dragon Soul Awakened: Ember Tier (Flame Affinity). Host Level: Mortal Tier 2. New Skill Unlocked: Ember Slash."
Caelum flexed his hand, and a faint red glow danced along his fingers, warm as a hearth. He laughed, a raw, reckless sound. "A dragon soul," he said, staring at the dead wolf. "After all this time…"
"Do not grow complacent," the system warned. "Your ember is weak. The path to dragon emperor is long."
"Emperor, huh?" Caelum wiped his sword on the wolf's fur, his grin fierce. "I'll settle for crushing Darius and Elysse first."He sheathed his blade and knelt by the wolf, cutting away its pelt with practiced strokes. The hide would fetch coin in a village, maybe enough for a proper meal. As he worked, the system's panel updated:
Beginner's Flame Elixir Recipe:Ingredients: Frostwolf Heart (1), Emberbloom Petal (3), Moonlit Dew (10ml)Effect: Temporarily boosts Flame Affinity by 20% for one hour.Crafting Difficulty: Low
Caelum frowned. "Herbs and dew? Where am I supposed to find those in a frozen forest?"
"Seek the riverbank," the system replied. "Emberbloom grows near water. Dew collects at dawn. The heart you already possess."
He glanced at the wolf's corpse, grimacing. Digging out its heart wasn't his idea of a good time, but the promise of power made it bearable. He carved carefully, wrapping the bloody organ in his cloak.
The forest was silent now, save for the wind's mournful howl. He stood, shouldering his knapsack, and headed toward the river.
The riverbank was a silver thread under the moonlight, its waters half-frozen and fringed with brittle grass.
Caelum crouched, scanning for the emberbloom's telltale red petals. The system's guidance was precise, and soon he spotted a cluster of flowers glowing faintly, their warmth melting the frost around them. He plucked three, their heat tingling his fingers, and filled his waterskin with dew from the grass.
As he worked, a rustle broke the silence.
He froze, hand on his sword. Shadows moved beyond the trees—three figures, cloaked and armed.
Bandits? No, their movements were too disciplined, their armor glinting faintly. Knights."Lost, boy?" a rough voice called. A man stepped into the moonlight, his breastplate etched with a dragon's claw—House Varnholt's sigil. Two others flanked him, swords drawn. "You're far from Elderglow's hearth."Caelum's stomach twisted.
Varnholt men, likely sent by Elysse's father to ensure he didn't linger near their lands. Or worse, to tie up loose ends. "Just passing through," he said, keeping his voice level. "No need for trouble."The leader, a scarred man with a crooked grin, laughed. "Trouble? You're the trouble, Ashborn. Lady Elysse wants no ghosts haunting her new betrothal." He drew his sword, its edge sparking with faint lightning. A thunder dragon soul.
Caelum's pulse quickened, but the system's voice cut through his fear. "New Quest: Survive the Hunters. Objective: Defeat or escape Varnholt knights. Reward: 50 System Points, Thunder Resistance Trait. Failure: Death."
"Great," Caelum muttered, backing toward the river. His ember soul was new, untested, and his sword was no match for three trained knights. But running wasn't an option—not after today."Take him quick," the leader barked. The knights charged, blades flashing.
Caelum ducked the first swing, his body moving faster than he expected, the ember soul lending him speed. He parried the second knight's thrust, sparks flying as steel met steel.
The third knight's blade grazed his arm, drawing blood.Pain sharpened his focus. He lunged, channeling the ember soul's heat into his sword. "Ember Slash!" he roared, the blade igniting with red flame. The strike caught the second knight's chest, searing through armor and sending him sprawling.
The leader cursed, lightning crackling along his sword. "A dragon soul? Impossible!" He swung, and Caelum barely dodged, the electric arc singeing his cloak. The remaining knight circled, aiming for his flank.
Caelum's mind raced. He was outnumbered, outmatched.
But the system's panel flashed:
Stamina: 40%.
Ember Slash Cooldown: 10 seconds.
He needed time. He needed the elixir.He sprinted toward the river, scooping up the emberbloom and dew. The knights pursued, their boots crunching snow. Caelum skidded to a halt by the water, hands shaking as he crushed the wolf heart and petals together, mixing them with dew. The system guided him, its voice calm: "Visualize the flame. Bind the ingredients with your will."The mixture glowed, coalescing into a vial of crimson liquid. Caelum downed it, the heat scorching his throat. Power surged, his ember soul flaring brighter. The panel updated: Flame Affinity +20%. Stamina Restored.The leader's sword descended, but Caelum was ready. He sidestepped, his blade a blur of flame, and struck. The knight screamed, lightning fading as he fell. The last knight hesitated, then fled into the trees.Caelum stood, panting, blood and flame mixing in the snow.
The system's voice was smug: "Quest complete. Rewards granted. You are no longer prey, Caelum Ashborn. What will you become?"
He stared at the fallen knights, then at the river, where his reflection now flickered with a faint red glow. "I'll become their nightmare," he said, and turned into the darkness, the ember in his soul burning brighter than ever.