Ten Years Later.

With a twist, he narrowly dodged the incoming tooth-filled maw. Continuing the movement, he turned deftly on his left foot and spun away. Pushing off with the muscle-straining intensity that might exist only in the most desperate of circumstances, he threw himself into a dive. Clods of earth ripped themselves free as the Khargen pulled its scaled body in the direction he had moved towards. Gobbets of flesh and saliva dripped from its razor-sharp teeth. Hissing, it lunged once more.

This time though, he was ready. Rough scale met sharp steel in a violent clash. The Khargen let out a hiss of pain. Crystallized, frozen blood clung to a new wound upon the lizard’s chest. The young man grinned, growing more certain of his victory. A frigid wind emanated from his small blade, causing the surrounding air to veritably swirl and eddy in response. The Khargen began to slow as the cold seeped into its flesh. Pressing his advantage, he stepped forward. Slipping past the creature’s reactionary bite, he flipped the dagger into a reverse grip and slammed it downward. The blade hammered into the flesh between the Khargen’s eyes, and it slumped forward. With a touch, he cast the one spell he knew, Harvest. The giant lizard’s body shimmered, disappearing and leaving behind its teeth and claws. Most spells that humans could learn were relegated to such simple utility magic. They paled in comparison to the power offered by a Seed.

He was hardly surprised to find that the creature did not leave behind a Seed. Any monster that possessed a soulseed would display inordinate strength and ability, along with at least one power. This, however, was just a run-of-the-mill beast.

And yet, a Seed was exactly what he was after. Having awoken ten years ago, bloodied and lost, with no memories of his life, he had struggled powerlessly to survive.  In this world, true power could never be held by the Unawakened. Empires were built upon the backs of mighty Awakened, individuals that far surpassed the average man.

The necessity of these powers could not be overlooked. The lands outside of human borders were horrifically deadly - the further one got from the Guild’s influence throughout the various nations, the more time that Awakened monsters had to grow in strength. This led to the emergence of uninhabitable zones, places that even the groups of powerful adventurers could not take lightly.

Humanity’s saving grace were the Towers of the Progenitors. In ancient times, the Progenitors had formed the entrances to the Tower in various locations as training grounds for newly Awakened. Though little was revealed regarding the details of the Tower, it was well known that newly Awakened were provided entrance - and then they returned more powerful than ever. Or simply not at all.

It was a little known secret that those who returned from the Tower had been the ones to give up, to abandon their training. Those who did not return had either chosen to continue honing themselves, or brought themselves to ruin.

Despite that the most powerful individuals undoubtedly remained within the Tower, the Awakened that returned were by no means weak. They were a tight-knit group, many of them bound together in parties that they had made along the way.

Though they had given up on gaining strength within the Tower, this did not mean that they had given up entirely. Word of weaker monsters that possessed soulseeds seemed to light a frenzy within them, sending them rushing to defeat it and claim the Seed for themselves.

This caused particular difficulty. Hearing about the possibility of a newly-Awakened Monster, he was forced to come alone before adventurers swept through. Not only would it be extremely difficult to get a group of individuals together before the opportunity was gone, but it was next to impossible to find Unawakened individuals who were willing to work together and risk their lives to gain a soulseed as a group - any soulseed gained would only be absorbable by a single person, leaving the others with nothing for themselves. This was a particular problem amongst Unawakened individuals, as they suffered through significantly more danger than their more powerful counterparts.

There are also far less opportunities for these weaker individuals to grow in the first place - the weaker creatures that were able to provide soulseeds were quickly taken down by established parties of Awakened, who were more amiable to working together and sharing the opportunity with one another - as they knew that they would be able to defeat another one later with the help of the others. 

Unfortunately, this all culminated in the current rash attempt at securing the Seed on his own

He took a moment to gather himself, wiping the sweat off his brow and taking deep breaths as the adrenaline-fueled intensity began to leave his body. After a moment, he collected the loot into his waiting bag. Finally, he began to continue onward through the dark cave. The strange warren of interconnecting tunnels would have been daunting to most, but he had always felt more at home in the dark than others. Thus, when he had heard about a group of Khargen nesting in the nearby cave system, he leapt at the chance. Selling everything that he could, he scrimped and saved -and sometimes stole - for a small dagger with a cold enchantment. Though it was a gamble, he knew that the payout could be immense.

Stepping onwards with the utmost caution, he surveyed his surroundings. His eyes pierced through the deep darkness of the cave. Most would-be-adventurers would have to bring a light source and thus find themselves more vulnerable to enemies. However, he had always had admirable night vision. As he progressed slowly through the cave system, the scratching of claws on stone betrayed the presence of a number of nearby Khargen.

He felt a spike of fear, and a chilling cold began to permeate from the flesh of his left shoulder. Ignoring the frigid pain, he began to step more lightly. His worn boots made nearly no sound as he crept through the tunnel. Reaching an opening into a new chamber, he surreptitiously peeked around the corner. His head urgently jerked back out of sight.

Within the chamber lay a large number of Khargen splayed out in a haphazard manner. Far too many for him to successfully fight. However, that did not mean that he would run away with his tail tucked between his legs. Carefully, he peeked around the corner once again. The reptilian quadrupeds covered the room, scales brushing against one another ominously. Yet it was not the dangerous teeth or the serrated claws that drew his attention. For he noticed the territorial markings of a much larger Khargen throughout the cavern chamber. Deep gouges that shred the stone floor asunder. Crumbling stalagmites that had weathered past battles.

Though his fear remained, he felt a surge of excitement. It was clear that a Boss-class Khargen lived here. Normally other, stronger, humans would have already swept through and defeated the boss to claim the soulseed. But word had not yet spread to willing adventurer’s ears. This was his chance, his gamble in spending all that he owned paying off.

Resolve firming, he slowly crept around the outskirts of the chamber. The chill in his shoulder seemed to intensify in response to his nervous fear. Yet despite his ever-growing headache, his steps became even softer, even quieter. It was as if the stillness of the darkness itself had begun to wrap around him in aid. The pile of Khargen shifted, and he ducked behind a large stalagmite.

Soon, the source of the growing agitation of the Khargen was clear. Muffled sounds bounced back and forth through the walls of the cavern. “...empty. Do you think that somebody managed to clear the place out before us?”

A new voice responded, “It’s unlikely that word has spread far enough to reach someone able to clear the caves out. Most of the truly strong remain in the Tower, after all. I’d wager that someone has been whittling away at the monsters, but I doubt it has been fully cleared.”

As the sound of voices intensified, the mass of Khargen became more and more agitated. They began to hiss quietly, their powerful legs bunching up in preparation. Torchlight breached the inner chamber, and a man in gleaming armor turned the corner. Immediately, he was met with the snapping of jaws and gnashing of teeth. However, despite the group’s rather lackadaisical attitude prior, he was able to snap his shield to the forefront. Teeth sheared against metal, emitting a harsh screech.

“Khargen!” The man cried out, veins bulging as he pushed against the hefty torrent of lizard bodies. He was then joined by the remaining members of his party. A man in leathers turned the corner, a long two handed spear in hand. He quickly thrust past his ally’s shield, scoring a wound on the nearest Khargen. The spearman was followed by two individuals in robes, a woman and man. The woman reached out and placed a hand on the armored warrior. A green glow suffused across his body. Suddenly, the warrior gained a newfound well of strength. With a roar, he threw the offending Khargen by ramming them with his shield. Bowled over, the Khargen thrashed and twisted in a heap. The man in robes readied a wand, and with an arcane gesture, sent a blast of fire into the scrambling pile of lizards. Hissing tongues turned into hissing flesh as the stench of burnt meat filled the air. From there, the group made short work of the mass of Khargen, thrusting and stabbing with abandon.

“You see, I told you that the cave wasn’t cleared yet! We must be nearing the end, though. Let us rest before we stumble upon a boss-class,” the armored warrior announced. With words of agreement, the party began to relax and recuperate.

“Jeral, how is your Spirit doing? I know that a large flame like that really burns away at your reserves,” said the armored warrior.

Jeral, the man in robes, responded. “I only have enough Spirit remaining for one more spell of that caliber, though I could just as easily spread it out to a larger number of smaller spells.”

Laughing, the spearman interjected. “That’s the problem with you Rage Seeds. Always blowing your load right away and then sputtering out. If we had known we’d be fighting Khargen we could have recruited a Coldness Seed instead.” Jeral only glared back tiredly. The spearman continued to cackle until the woman cut him off.

“Enough. I hear something.” Thinking that the party had found him, the young man prepared to step out from behind his hiding place in greetings. However, just as he began to pull himself forward to do so, he heard it too. The fracture of stones, the stomping of heavy-set feet. An ominous hissing.

The party urgently jumped to their feet. They quickly lit a few torches and threw them about to illuminate the cavern. The thumping and hissing grew closer. A crocodilian head emerged from the next tunnel. However, this one appeared to be at least five times the size of a normal Khargen, with a body stretching to around 30 meters. The group became grim, one of them muttering to themselves. Crouching even more carefully behind the stalagmite, he observed worriedly as the party prepared itself to engage the boss-class Khargen.

The armored warrior slammed his sword and shield together, letting out a roar in the process. The Khargen blitzed forward with surprising agility. Just as the warrior was about to be knocked over by its charge, his skin turned stone-gray and his legs rooted into the floor. With a thunderous crash, tooth met shield, and the shield held. As the Khargen hissed menacingly, the spearman darted past. He jabbed sharply at the beast’s side, scoring a shallow wound. The Khargen attempted to twist and snap at the spearman harrowing its flank, but the combination of the stone-skinned warrior and the cramped environ prevented it from turning quickly. This allowed the spearman to work its way down the lizard’s flank. At the same time, the Khargen’s face was peppered with a number of bolts of flame, singing its eyes. The warrior’s skin returned to a normal shade and he was once again uprooted from the stone. Breathing heavily, he sliced sharply and pressed forward with his shield. As the lizard began to snap its jaws once again, he bashed the shield forward. For a moment, the shield wedged itself in between the Khargen’s maw.

Shifting into a two handed sword grip, the warrior slashed out in a flurry at the now-vulnerable mouth. Blood poured down in a river, sliding between jagged teeth and spreading over the floor. The shield began to creak and crumple as the lizard clamped down further. Finally, it smashed and crumpled fully. The reptilian monstrosity lurched forward. Just as it seemed the warrior would become an evening snack, his skin turned to stone once again. Teeth shattered against stone, yet the stone began to fracture in turn.

Jerking backwards, the Khargen turned its attention to an easier meal. Now that it was less obstructed, it twisted to snap at the spearman harrying its flank. The spearman managed to narrowly dodge sideways. With practiced movements, he sprinted at the monster’s side in an astounding display of speed. Planting his spear into the floor, he arched backwards before launching himself forward, hurtling over the Khargen. He twisted in midair while unsheathing a dagger, bringing it to bear against the beast’s side and slowing himself down as it ripped through the monster’s scaley hide. With a grunt, he reached the ground before yelling out: “It’s getting weaker, keep at it!”. Just as the words left his lips, the Khargen turned viciously, enraged. An ominous crimson-black light began to glow from a crystal inlaid in the scales of its jaw. With frightening speed, the monster snapped up the remains of the smaller Khargen. Sickening pops and crunches followed the mass of bodies as it slid down the beast’s craw. The Khargen began to grow, muscles rippling and distorting. Scales ripped as it grew beyond the bounds of its flesh.

“Look out, it has a Hunger Seed!” shouted Jeral. Muscles bulging with power, the creature lashed out with its armored tail. It smashed into the earthen warrior, breaking away the fractured stone guarding him from harm.

Shards of stone flew from the warrior, turned into dangerous projectiles by the forceful whip of the tail. They flew through the air, catching in the vulnerable skin of the robed members of the party. They fell down with strangled cries. The woman reached out and placed a trembling hand on the man beside her. A golden light flashed, and the man pulled away from near-death. Despite this, the group took on grim expressions.

With a resolute look, the armored warrior made an announcement. “It’s time to retreat for now. We can’t take risks now that we have lost our support. We will restock our gear to counter this beast and return.” The party beat a hasty retreat as the Khargen snapped and hissed.

Mesmerized by the fight, the young man only watched silently as they left. However, he jolted awake when he realised that he was now alone with the wounded boss. The Khargen continued to make its ire known for a few minutes as he continued to lay crouched behind his stalagmite. Blood ran from its wounds in red rivulets. After a few minutes more, the beast began to settle down and diminish in size slightly, the blood loss it had endured causing noticeable fatigue.

Seeing his chance, he slowly moved out from behind the rock. Soundlessly, he crept up to the blinded, resting lizard. Despite his growing headache and the horrible chill in his shoulder, he readied his dagger. The chill in his shoulder disappeared. His leather boots scuffed against the stone. The Khargen jerked alert. Stealth forgotten, he stabbed the beast in the hind leg. Knowing that his only chance was to inflict wounds as quickly as possible, he aggressively attacked. The Khargen, slowed by the previous blood loss and the chill that was now working its way through its body, stumbled its way towards him, turning with painstaking sluggishness. However, just as he began to feel despair, the lizard collapsed. He let out a roar of triumph and quickly cast Harvest. A blinding headache ripped to the forefront of his mind, causing him to stumble and nearly lose consciousness.

As sensation flooded back in, he roused himself urgently. After waiting a few minutes to collect himself, he attempted to cast Harvest again. This time, it worked. A smattering of giant teeth and claws littered the floor. He reached down to scoop the items into his open bag, and froze. There, nestled in the crushed stone that littered the ground, lay what he had been searching for. A soulseed. Low-grade and crude, but that glimmer was unmistakable. With trembling hands, he grasped the soulseed. Then, with both body and soul, he made his will known.

With a crazed grin, he accepted. Light wisped through his fingers, twisting as it rose through the air. Slowly, it began to fade away.

Though baffled by the displayed race and affiliation information, his mind homed in on one thing in particular. Dharen. That was his name. For ten long years, he had trudged through life with no information on his past. Without even a name. Now, he had one. Dharen. Beyond that, he even had a next step. He would track down information related to this “Faceless One”, and go from there.

Elated, he turned his attention to the inside of his right wrist. A tiny gem nestled there. It glowed with a brilliant golden light, flecked with the crimson shade of fresh blood. Warmth spread through his wrist and he let out a Warcry. He felt himself grow a little stronger in response. The sound of claws scraping against stone filled the air as nearby Khargen were alerted to his presence. Feeling a bit embarrassed at his blunder, Dharen readied his weapon. It was going to be a long trek home.