Chapter 69: A Walk with a Monster in the Foggy Forest
A week has passed since Kyle absorbed the Knight card.
He sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed. Light from three moons spilled through the window. The room was quiet except for his breathing — slow and steady.
Then, finally, he felt it.
A tiny spark deep in his chest. Not physical. More like a warmth in his soul. A flicker of something that had always been there but he’d never noticed until now.
He opened his eyes and exhaled.
`Internal energy.`
He had finally done it. After days of training, feeling around in the dark of his own body, he’d found the flame.
But it was small. Too small. A candle is about to go out.
From what Lilian had told him, the average person had at least twice this amount. His was below average. Way below.
`Not great.`
Still, he could fix that. The Mana stat existed for a reason. If he raised it, his internal energy should grow too.
Unless the system surprises him again with its special help.
`What if the Mana stat doesn’t increase the amount of energy. What if it increases my talent? My control? My affinity?`
If that happened, raising it would be useless. Worse — it might give him an affinity he didn’t want. He would lose his blank slate.
`Then I would be screwed.`
He pushed the thought away. He would worry about that later.
Kyle turned his head and looked at the sword leaning against the wall. Lilian had given it to him a few days ago, though he had no idea where she’d found it.
It was plain — no enchantments, no special materials, just steel and leather. But it was balanced, not too heavy, and it would do the job.
`Better than nothing.`
He also hadn’t wasted the week. Every day, he trained with Lilian. Stances, strikes, footwork, parries.
The knowledge from the Knight card had settled into his mind, and now his body was starting to catch up. Muscle memory. Reflexes. The feel of a sword in his hands.
He opened his status screen.
[Name: Kyle]
[Class: Mind Controller]
[Strength: 35 | Intelligence: 60 | Endurance: 33 | Agility: 29 | Mana: 1]
[Unused Stat Points: 0]
[Skills: Mind Control - Thought Reading]
He smiled.
Mana stat went from zero to one. Not much, but it meant something had changed. His internal energy was real now. Measurable.
`A tiny flame. But it’s mine.`
Suddenly, something hit from the back of his hand — a pulse, sudden and faint.
He looked down. The tattoo was lit up, gold light beating slow and steady.
Before he could react, golden sparks burst from his skin and swirled into the air. They gathered, twisted, and formed the shape of the creature.
Nightmare materialized on the floor.
The bird had grown again. Feathers darker, almost fully black now. And the eyes along the roots of its wings — there were more of them. Blinking at him from every angle.
Kyle’s skin prickled.
The creature tilted its head. Then it turned toward the window, spread its four wings, and flew out into the night.
Kyle stood there looking at the empty window for half a second.
Then he grabbed his sword and went after it.
His room was on the second floor, but the drop didn’t matter. He landed in a crouch and rolled once. Then it was already running.
The mist was thicker than usual tonight. The three moons hung overhead, their light diffused through the fog, making everything look soft.
Nightmare flew low, just above the treetops. Not fast. Almost like it was waiting for him.
Kyle followed with sword in hand. His eyes were scanning the darkness between the trunks.
`What happened to Nightmare? It has never done this before.`
He had explored this forest during the day and never saw anything. No animals, no monsters, no signs of life. He’d assumed the Realm was empty.
But at night, the air felt different. Heavier. Like something was watching.
Kyle followed Nightmare deeper into the mist.
Then he heard something.
A rustle right behind him.
He turned—
But something massive slammed into his side. The impact lifted him off his feet and sent him tumbling across the forest floor. He rolled twice, then caught himself.
He brought his sword up just in time to deflect the next blow. The block wasn’t perfect, but it took enough force to keep his ribs from caving in.
He scrambled backward and rose to his feet.
The creature was already moving.
Kyle quickly made out its shape through the mist.
Taller than a man twice, maybe more. A deer skull where its head should be, antlers twisting out like dead branches. Green light sat in the hollow eye sockets. Its arms hung too long at its sides, clawed fingers wrapped around a crude axe.
Kyle stared. `What the hell is this?!`
It didn’t wait around to be looked at. The axe came in fast, wide arc. Kyle dropped under it and felt the air move over his head.
He came back up with a slash at its side. The blade went in — but not far. The hide underneath the fur was thick, closer to armor than skin.
It roared and swung again.
Kyle blocked. But the impact shook his arms. His feet slid back in the dirt.
`Strong! Like the Goblin Warrior in that cave!`
The creature pressed the attack. Axe strikes came in rapid succession — overhead, sideways, diagonal. Each one hit like a hammer.
Kyle parried, dodged, and stepped back, but he couldn’t find an opening. Every time he tried to counter, the creature was already swinging again.
A blow slipped past his guard and clipped his shoulder. He spun away, biting down a scream.
`This isn’t working.`
Nightmare dove from above.
The bird’s claws caught the monster across the back. Black blood, and the creature stumbled — just enough.
Kyle used it. Backed off a few steps, got his breath.
His shoulder was bleeding heavily from the previous blow. Arms heavy from blocking. Breathing raged.
`I can’t take many more hits.`
The monster shook it off faster than he expected. Took a swing at Nightmare, but the bird pulled up and out of reach.
Then Nightmare opened its beak.
And screamed.
The sound wasn’t loud. It was worse than loud. It was inside the monster’s head — a piercing shriek that made its vision blur and its stomach clench. For a fraction of a second, its mind went blank.
The creature froze.
Its body went rigid. The green glow in its eyes flickered. It dimmed, almost went out.
`Now!`
Kyle lunged. He drove his sword into the creature’s chest with all his strength. The blade went in — four inches, maybe five. Not deep enough to kill.
The monster snapped out of its stupor. It roared and swung its arm, backhanding Kyle across the face.
He flew sideways and crashed into a tree.
His head rang. Blood dripped from his split lip. His vision swam.
`Nightmare’s scream... it only stunned it for a second.`
This was one of Nightmare’s abilities. As a dream monster, it has the ability to put creatures to sleep and into lethargy.
But the bird wasn’t strong enough to put the Wendigo to sleep. It just... disorients it. That was good, but not enough.
Kyle pushed himself up, spitting blood.
`Damn... I have to do more.`
At that moment, Kyle’s eyes started glowing crimson.
