NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: Chapter 2: Gems
"That was incredible," the young man said as he woke up to the first rays of sunlight filtering through the trees near the cave. "Not only does my mind feel more efficient, but much calmer and more rational as well." He spoke aloud, more to himself than anyone else, as he stood up from the spot where he had slept the previous night.
With renewed energy, the young man resumed his search for civilization. However, he soon came across a corrupted gem along the way. The gem had a polished surface that reflected the light in an unsettling way. Its features were deformed, with a wild presence, or so the man would have said if he had had anything to add. Upon encountering the young man, the gem fixed its eyeless gaze on him, as if evaluating his potential.
Suddenly, the gem lunged at him with an unnatural speed for such a large body. The young man barely had time to react. "Damn it!" he exclaimed, sweat dripping down his face as his tensed muscles struggled to stay firm. He used his telekinetic powers to push the gem back, momentarily halting its advance. However, he quickly realized that it wasn't the only enemy present.
From behind a group of rocks, another corrupted gem rushed toward him. The impact was brutal. A dry crack echoed as the gem struck him, sending him flying several meters through the air. The young man landed on his back, a wave of pain forcing a scream into his mind. He glanced down quickly and saw that his right leg was bent at an unnatural angle. His thoughts became jumbled as he fought to stay conscious and ignore the pain.
Dragging himself across the ground, he observed the gem-beasts more closely. They were grotesque creatures, with large, disproportionate bodies, like eyeless dogs made of polished jade. Their fangs extended to resemble a mockery of swords, and their heads were grotesquely oversized. The way they moved was unnatural and hideous, like horrendous predators.
With a titanic effort, the young man focused his telekinesis to its limit and hurled his sword toward the nearest beast. The sword sliced through the air with supernatural precision, piercing the creature and triggering an explosion of smoke and light. The beast's death cry rang in his ears like the sound of scraping rusted metal, a horrid note of triumph amidst his pain. However, upon sensing its companion's fall, the remaining beast roared in rage, red foam spewing from its mouth as it charged blindly.
The young man knew he couldn't face the beast head-on. His legs were failing him, especially the right one, but he had to move. In agony, he used his powers to propel himself to the side, a motion that catapulted him harshly out of the beast's immediate reach. The ground crunched under the massive creature as it landed, creating a shockwave that almost sent him crashing back to the ground.
The beast continued its attack with more fury than the material plane had the right to witness, its massive body charging with destructive force. With each step, the ground cracked, and rocks shattered into pieces. The young man, already on the verge of passing out, knew he had to end the fight now, or he would die again. His eyes glowed with an ethereal intensity. He focused, channeling all the energy he could pull into the materium for one final attack.
His hand rose, and a beam of light shot from his palm, cutting through the air with a terrifying hiss. The light enveloped the beast in a blinding glow. The creature erupted into a blind fury of guttural, incomprehensible sounds. The pure energy disintegrated the corrupted gem-beast's physical form within seconds, leaving behind only its gem.
However, the cost of his victory was high. The unleashed energy left him in a state of extreme exhaustion. His legs trembled under the weight of his wounds, barely keeping him standing, and the pain in his broken leg was simply the cherry on top. Blood flowed from his nose, and each breath felt like it might be his last. With blurred vision and a mind teetering on the brink of unconsciousness, the young man saw figures in the distance. Four humanoid shadows were moving slowly toward him, but his vision quickly faded.
Collapsing to the ground, the young man allowed himself the only release left: unconsciousness. His body had given up completely, exhausted from the battle and the overuse of his powers.