Three days passed in a rhythm that Astraeus found surprisingly comfortable. Morning training with the advanced combat group, afternoons spent in the guild library studying essence theory and dimensional mechanics, evenings at the Copper Bell with his new companions. His essence pool grew, his skills sharpened, and his understanding of magic deepened with each passing day.
But comfort, Kha'Zul reminded him regularly, was dangerous.
You're getting complacent, the demon said as Astraeus walked through the morning market, browsing stalls for supplies. Three days without a real challenge. That's three days you're not growing.
"I'm training every day. Learning. Building relationships that could be valuable."
You're playing student again. That's not what you are anymore. You're a Reality Anchor. You should be hunting threats, not buying vegetables.
Astraeus picked up an apple, examining it with more attention than it deserved to avoid responding immediately. Kha'Zul wasn't wrong. The training was useful, but it was controlled, safe. Real growth came from real danger, from pushing limits under pressure.
He paid for the apple and a few other supplies, then headed toward the guild hall. The morning sun was warm, the city alive with commerce and conversation. It was easy to forget, in moments like this, that dimensional barriers were failing and cosmic horrors waited beyond reality's edge.
The guild hall was busier than usual, with mages clustered around the main notice board in animated discussion. Astraeus moved closer, curious about what had drawn such attention.
A new posting, marked with red ink to indicate urgency:
PRIORITY TASK: VOIDBORN NEST DISCOVERED
Location: Blackwood Forest, 20 miles north of Thornhaven
Threat Level: EXTREME
Description: Hunters report multiple Voidborn sightings in the deep forest. Evidence suggests a stable dimensional rift has formed, creating a nest. Immediate action required before creatures spread to populated areas.
Requirements: Team of 4-6 experienced combat mages. Dimensional sealing capability mandatory. Survival skills essential.
Reward: 100 gold per participant, guild advancement consideration
Contact: Guildmaster Thomas Crane for assignment
Astraeus read the posting twice, his heart rate increasing. A Voidborn nest. Multiple creatures. A stable rift that needed to be sealed. This was exactly the kind of challenge Kha'Zul had been talking about—dangerous, necessary, and an opportunity for real growth.
Now you're interested, Kha'Zul said with satisfaction. This is what you should be doing. Not playing at training, but facing actual threats.
"It says team of four to six. I'd need to join an existing group or form one."
Then form one. You have connections now. Use them.
Astraeus turned away from the board and nearly collided with Lyra, who'd been reading over his shoulder.
"You're thinking about it," she said. It wasn't a question."
I am. I have dimensional sealing capability. And I've faced a Voidborn before."
"I know. That's why I was hoping you'd be interested." Lyra gestured to a quieter corner of the hall, and they moved away from the crowd. "Darius, Thomas, and I have been talking. We want to take this task, but we need at least one more person with sealing capability. The guildmaster won't approve a team without it."
"You want me to join your team?"
"If you're willing. I know you're technically still an Initiate, but we've all seen what you can do. And more importantly, you've actually encountered a Voidborn and survived. That experience is worth more than rank."
Astraeus considered it. A team of experienced mages, a clear objective, and a genuine threat that needed to be stopped. It was risky—Voidborn were dangerous individually, and multiple creatures working together from a stable nest would be exponentially more deadly.
But it was also necessary. If the nest wasn't dealt with, those creatures would eventually spread to populated areas. People would die. And he had the capability to help prevent that.
"I'm in," he said. "When do we leave?"
"Tomorrow at dawn. We'll need today to prepare—gather supplies, study what little information exists about Voidborn behavior, and get the guildmaster's approval for the team composition."
"Where are Darius and Thomas?"
"Supply district, getting camping gear and provisions. We'll meet at the Copper Bell tonight to finalize plans. Bring whatever you think you'll need for three to five days in the wilderness."
They separated, and Astraeus spent the rest of the morning preparing. He visited the guild library, pulling every text he could find on Voidborn, dimensional rifts, and forest survival. Most of the information was theoretical or based on secondhand accounts, but he absorbed it all, looking for patterns and weaknesses.
The texts won't tell you everything, Kha'Zul said as Astraeus read. Voidborn are creatures of chaos. They don't follow predictable patterns. But there are a few constants.
"Tell me."
They're drawn to fear and pain. Emotional distress makes dimensional barriers thinner, easier for them to cross. So if your team panics, the situation will get worse. Second, they're vulnerable to concentrated essence—pure, focused energy disrupts their connection to the void. Your silver-blue essence is particularly effective because it's uncorrupted. Third, they're intelligent. Not like humans, but they learn, adapt, and hunt in coordinated ways when multiple creatures are present.
"So we need to stay calm, hit them with concentrated essence attacks, and expect them to work together."
Exactly. And be prepared for the rift itself. Stable dimensional rifts are rare and dangerous. They create zones where reality is thin, where the laws of physics become... flexible. You might see things that don't make sense, experience time differently, or encounter spatial distortions. Don't trust your senses completely.
Astraeus made notes, committing everything to memory. By afternoon, he'd gathered a mental arsenal of knowledge to complement his practical experience. He returned to the Copper Bell, packed his meager belongings into a travel pack, and added the supplies he'd bought that morning.
[INVENTORY UPDATE]
•Basic Survival Kit (flint, steel, rope, waterskin, rations, first aid, knife)
•Guild Badge (Initiate)
•Travel Pack
•Clean Robes (2 sets)
•Personal Supplies
•23 Silver Coins
Not much, but enough for a wilderness expedition. His real weapons were his essence manipulation and the knowledge Kha'Zul provided.
That evening, the team gathered at the Copper Bell. Darius had spread a map across their table, marking the location of Blackwood Forest and the reported Voidborn sightings.
"The nest is here," he said, pointing to a spot deep in the forest, far from any roads or settlements. "Twenty miles north, then another five miles into dense woodland. No easy paths. We'll be hiking through rough terrain."
"How do we know it's actually a nest and not just random sightings?" Astraeus asked.
"Hunters found evidence of a permanent rift," Thomas said. "Scorch marks in a circular pattern, vegetation dying in a specific radius, and multiple creature tracks converging on a single location. That's consistent with a stable dimensional breach."
"How many creatures are we expecting?" Lyra asked.
"Unknown. Could be three, could be a dozen. We won't know until we're there."
"And if it's more than we can handle?"
"Then we retreat, seal the rift if possible, and report back for reinforcements," Darius said firmly. "This is reconnaissance and elimination if feasible. We're not heroes—we're professionals. We assess, we act if we can, and we survive to report if we can't."
Astraeus appreciated the pragmatism. Darius had military experience, and it showed in his approach to planning.
"What about roles?" Astraeus asked. "Who does what during combat?"
Thomas pulled out a piece of paper with notes. "I'm primary offense—high-damage attacks to take down threats quickly. Lyra is defense and control—earth barriers, terrain manipulation, protecting the team. Darius is tactical support and secondary offense—he reads the battlefield and adapts. Astraeus, you're our specialist—dimensional sealing is your primary role, but your essence manipulation makes you flexible enough to support wherever needed."
"What about essence reserves?" Astraeus asked. "If we're fighting multiple Voidborn and sealing a rift, we'll burn through essence fast."
"We have essence restoration potions," Lyra said, pulling out several small vials filled with glowing blue liquid. "Not as good as natural regeneration, but they'll give us emergency reserves if needed. Two per person."
[ITEM RECEIVED: ESSENCE RESTORATION POTION x2]
[EFFECT: Restores 30 Ethereal Essence over 10 seconds]
"Good," Darius said. "Now, travel time. We leave at dawn, which means we'll reach the forest edge by mid-morning. From there, it's slow going through dense woodland. We'll probably reach the nest location by late afternoon, which gives us a few hours of daylight to assess and act before we need to make camp."
"Or we could wait until morning," Thomas suggested. "Approach fresh, with full essence and clear heads."
"That gives the Voidborn another night to potentially spread," Lyra countered. "Every hour we wait is another hour they could be moving toward populated areas."
"It's also another hour we're alive and capable," Thomas said. "Dead heroes don't save anyone."
They debated for several minutes before reaching a compromise: they'd assess the situation when they arrived. If the nest appeared manageable and they had sufficient daylight, they'd act immediately. If not, they'd observe, gather intelligence, and strike at dawn.
"Everyone clear on the plan?" Darius asked.
They all nodded.
"Good. Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow's going to be hard, and we'll need to be sharp."
The group dispersed, heading to their respective lodgings. Astraeus climbed the stairs to his room, his mind already running through scenarios and strategies. A Voidborn nest. Multiple creatures. A stable dimensional rift. This was several orders of magnitude more dangerous than the single creature he'd faced in the warehouse.
Nervous? Kha'Zul asked.
"Cautious. There's a difference."
Good. Caution keeps you alive. Overconfidence kills. A pause. You've chosen your team well. They're experienced, pragmatic, and they trust you despite your low rank. That trust is valuable.
"I know. I won't let them down."
See that you don't. Because if this goes wrong, you won't be the only one who dies.
Astraeus lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the sounds of the city settling into night. Somewhere out there, twenty-five miles away, creatures from beyond reality were gathering, preparing to spread into the world. And tomorrow, he'd be walking directly toward them.
He thought about the warehouse, about the creature with too many teeth and the scream that hurt to hear. He thought about the seal he'd created, the way Kha'Zul's essence had combined with his own, the desperate struggle to close the portal before something terrible came through.
Tomorrow would be worse. Multiple creatures. A stable rift. Unknown variables.
But he wouldn't be alone. He had a team, he had experience, and he had a demon with three thousand years of knowledge watching his back.
He pulled up his status screen, checking his current capabilities.
[LEVEL: 5]
[HEALTH: 130/130]
[ETHEREAL ESSENCE: 80/80]
[STAMINA: 100/100][ATTRIBUTES:]
•Strength: 12
•Agility: 14
•Intelligence: 19
•Wisdom: 11
•Constitution: 13
[SKILLS:]
•Intermediate Ethereal Manipulation (35/200)
•Basic Dimensional Sealing (5/100)
•Basic Combat Techniques (25/100)
He was stronger than he'd been a week ago. Faster, smarter, more capable. But was he strong enough for what was coming?
Only one way to find out.
Astraeus closed his eyes and forced himself to sleep. Tomorrow would bring answers, one way or another.
And he would face them standing, not cowering.
Because he'd already died once.
Everything after that was just practice.