Chapter 3: A Warm Welcome
Cato cursed. He was once again in the strange dream world he'd been in before, a state between consciousness and unconsciousness. However, things were as dreadfully empty, as he sat in an endless sea of yellow flowers.
They were in full bloom, the brilliant petals almost blinding Cato if he happened to gaze directly at them. This was a different type of hell, as he had to roam through the field with his eyes shut, lest he blind himself.
The glow was so brilliant it passed through his tightly shut eyes. As he passed through the flowers, they left stinging sensations on his arm, the sharp tipped petals drawing small droplets of blood that watered the ground.
He continued forward, his arms weeping red tears as he advanced through the sea of yellow. In the quiet space, the constant sound of blood hitting the earth beneath the flowerbed echoed like a cannon.
At some point, Cato had opened his eyes, the glow no longer affecting him so strongly, although he still had to resort to squinting. The flowers began to twist then before his eyes, as the teeth beneath the petals emerged at the scent of his blood.
Shaken, he began to run, as flower after flower opened their fanged mouths, like venus flytraps, trying to swallow him whole. His bare feet pounded into the soil as he raced through the field, his blood flowing more rapidly, leaving a river of red in his wake.
Finally, his foot caught on one of the flower's stems, and he tumbled head over heels into the packed soil, caking his hands in the bloody dirt. He tried to get back up, but was engulfed by the sea of flowers.
He was once again in the dark, empty space. His body was free of the countless scratches it had accumulated, but he could still feel them all over, the snap of the plant's jaws around his neck. But now he was whole once again, staring out at the blurry ring of purple.
It seemed he wouldn't reach it with even a lifetime of traveling, but still, he pushed forward as best he could in the cold, dark place. The ring seemed less indistinct, but he couldn't be sure.
Suddenly, he felt a searing on his arm, as if he was being branded on his shoulder. He gasped in pain, and shot up to an unfamiliar place. A gentle torchlight cast the room in shadow, but he could see a massive workbench, and a table that held an assortment of metal items.
They twisted and twirled in the torchlight, causing Cato to believe he was still trapped in his feverish dreams, but then a dull throb came from his shoulder. He sat up, cradling his right arm, and realized that his shoulder had been bandaged in green leaves.
They were cool against his skin, and seemed to provide some relief to the snake bite that had drained him. He looked around for any hint of his savior, but saw no one. He stood shakily from the cot he'd been laying on, and looked around the room.
The room seemed almost circular in shape, a naturally formed hollow of wood wherever he was. He walked up to the table, and realized that the whole table top was an extensive map, presumably of the forest.
The map was a beautiful piece, packed with details. The craftsmanship was also worth high praise, as it was carved into the wood, but still was so precise. He noted a star where he was, located in a broad expanse of forest dubbed the "Giantswood".
Cato was so lost in the map that he didn't notice the intruder until he felt a cool metal blade whisper across his neck, pulling back abruptly, biting into his flesh. He almost instinctively tried to struggle free, but was dissuaded by the fact that any sudden movements would likely rid him of his head.
"Good, at least you're not a complete idiot. Now, who are you, and why are you here? I'm sure I was the last one left." A gruff voice resounded in his ear, sounding androgynous, but he couldn't tell, as his bite seemed to act up at that moment.
Cato groaned in pain, going limp against his captor, who backed away, perhaps thinking this was his feeble attempt at an attack. However, he simply hit the floor with a thud and a sharp hiss of pain escaped his lips.
He rolled onto his back, and spotted his captor and potential savior. The person was wrapped up in a thick robe, covering their features. Gleaming pink eyes regarded him critically, seemingly ready for any signs of movement from him.
However, Cato was in no state to do anything, much less attack this person. He began to writhe in agony as the bite seemed to burn like the sun, sending a shock of white hot pain flooding through his body.
The hooded person finally relented, kneeling down and pressing a hand covered in white linen wrappings onto his forehead. They must have done something, as Cato felt something cool on his forehead, and the pain seemed to decrease, as the cold spread through his body, clashing with the white hot pain.
Cato was helped back to the bed for now, where he weakly lay, his muscles still spasming every once in a while. The person took off his bandages and smeared some blue ointment on his body, before redressing the wound.
"Now that that's settled, why don't you answer my question. I can kill you just as easily as I can heal you, you know." The person regarded him with a curious glance, looking up and down his body.
"You don't seem particularly built for this type of place, with those stick arms and pale skin. You couldn't even fight off the weakest creature here with that body. Where did you come from?" Cato felt his face flush at the backhanded comment, but he couldn't really argue.
"I don't know how I got here. Believe me, this is the last place I'd go if I knew anything about this place." He noticed the skeptical gaze they gave him, and quickly recalled everything that had happened to him in the past day.
He noticed their eyes seemed to soften, as a knowing light entered them. "Ah, so you're a new arrival. That makes a bit more sense, but why are you here? I don't recall this as one of the training locations."
The person bemusedly glanced at him, before walking over to the side of the map table, and pulling open a drawer. A pungent smell wafted out through the doors, making Cato's eyes water. It was like a spice, a smoke scent that seemed to light his nose aflame.
The person turned back to him, and held a small black jar in their hands. "Do you know what this is?" they asked, seemingly expectant. Unfortunately, Cato had no clue what it was, which must've shown in his face, as the person sighed in disappointment.
"Well, that really cements the newbie status. No way you wouldn't have known what this was if you weren't. Well, we might as well formally introduce ourselves. My name is Pallas." They outstretched their hand, and Cato looked at it for a second, before shaking hands.
"Cato. Thank you for the assistance." Cato was genuinely grateful, and this Pallas could maybe help him back home, wherever that was. Pallas grunted, before placing the black jar back on the table.
Glancing first at Cato, Pallas murmured something under his breath, and a pink glow surrounded his hand, before covering the table. Pallas turned and walked through a doorway leading down a winding pathway deeper into the place.
Cato still had no clue where he was, but faintly heard Pallas address him from down the hallway. "Follow me." Cato had just collapsed, and yet he was once again staggering to his feet before following Pallas through the pathway.
Everything he'd seen so far was created of smooth, dark wood, filled with small emerald lines like veins in its surface. The pathway was the same, and Cato ran his hand over the wood, feeling the smooth texture of the wood and the cool to the touch emerald veins.
The pathway winded ever deeper, lit up by the emerald lines that gradually grew thicker and more numerous the deeper he walked. Finally, the surroundings began to open up into a massive cavernous chamber before him. Pallas sat in the center of the pitch black chamber that was dark except for the ceiling, a mass of glowing green.
All the veins converged here into a single point, a luminescent green stone bigger than Cato himself hanging from the ceiling like some fruit. A thick stalk of green held the stone up, sending rays of emerald light all over the room.
Pallas sat upon a small array, green symbols carved into the ground that made up a circle that filled the center of the room. He beckoned to Cato, gesturing to the place opposite him in the circle.
Cato was still spellbound by the beauty of the room, the mesmerizing pattern of the veins, the rich, earthy smell that filled the cavern, and the cool air that cooled his burning shoulder. He walked over to Pallas before sitting down in the array, feeling a little shock throughout his body as he entered it.
His skin prickling, he sat next to Pallas and gazed up at the ceiling. As he stared at the stone, patterns seemed to emerge from around it in the air, circles of runes and other ancient characters, spreading out like a web across the ceiling.
He turned to Pallas, and questioned him about the stone. "Oh? So you can see it huh? Curious. I thought you were still part of the unseeing." Cato was confused at this, but Pallas just laughed.
"I guess there's no harm in explaining, as even children know about it. What you see up there is a formation, fueled by that green energy called mana. It goes by many names, but that is the most common. It's a wondrous thing."
Pallas curled his finger, and a strand seemed to be pulled from the ceiling, coming to a rest in his hand. It almost seemed docile, gently resting in his palm. Cato gazed in wonder, as the mass of green energy twisted and twirled in Pallas's hand.
"The only reason you can see it is because it's so potent. You haven't awakened to it yet, so that much is obvious." Cato looked up at Pallas confusedly. "What do you mean I haven't awakened?" Cato asked.
Pallas looked up at Cato, before snorting. "You can see it, can't you? That's somewhat rare, but not unheard of. However, do you know how to control it? To gather it? To shape it? To use it?" The shape of the mana changed rapidly, from a ball to a square to a sharp blade, before turning back into an amorphous mass in his hand.
"No, I guess not. How do I awaken?" Cato looked at Pallas with excitement in his eyes, eager to learn. Pallas scoffed, and said, "The better question is, why would I help you? It's not exactly cheap to do a genuine awakening, and I see no immediate benefit in me helping you. Gods, I don't even know if I should trust you yet, despite your ignorance."
This stung, as Cato's eagerness quickly died. Pallas was right though. He had nothing to offer that Pallas would value. How could he help? He didn't even know where he was, and if he couldn't help himself, it was foolish to try to offer any to a stranger like this.
Still, Cato was determined to gain some sort of knowledge about this place, some form of defense so situations like the snake wouldn't happen so often. With a renewed vigor, he turned back to Pallas.
"I can help with whatever you want. I'll learn any task, do any job, as long as I can learn how to control mana. Without it, I'm as good as dead, and I'll do anything to prevent that outcome." His sudden rebound seemed to have caught Pallas off guard, who fell silent for a moment. Pallas remained deep in thought for many minutes, and Cato became more and more anxious at the prolonged silence.
Finally, mercifully, Pallas responded. "I suppose I could use some help around here. My last little helper got eaten alive a year ago, and it's been somewhat taxing to hold down the fort by myself. How about we have a little trial run. One month of helping, and I'll provide you with shelter, clothing and food. After that period, I'll have made up my mind whether it's worth teaching you. I'll make no promises though. Deal?"
To be completely honest, this was not the best deal Cato could've received, but it was definitely more generous than he had expected. He had no other leads in this forest, and a month seemed enough to at least get his bearings, so he wouldn't die the minute he stepped outside.
He sighed, and nodded, saying, "Thank you for your generosity. I won't let you down." Pallas's eyes gleamed, as a spine chilling laugh emerged from under the hood. "Oh, this is going to be fun!" This was the beginning of Cato's own personal hell.
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Cato grunted as he lifted the still spasming stag over his head, spraying blood all over him. The silver ichor trickled down his neck as he sprinted through the trees, his legs pumping faster and faster. A post mortem twitch caused a hoof to catch his shoulder, eliciting a groan of pain from Cato.
However, he ignored the dull pain on his shoulder and kept running back towards the titanic tree line rapidly approaching. As his bare soles padded across the rich dark soil of the forest floor, a roar sounded somewhere behind him.
Cato's already rapidly beating heart became a thunderous pounding in his ears as he continued to weave through the trees, the adrenaline pumping through his veins like a furious river. Another roar sounded, closer this time, the creature seemingly breathing down his neck.
Cato knew this roar all too well. After all, the creature had plagued him for weeks. It had all started when Pallas had given him his first task. He could remember it like yesterday. The first day after the little deal he'd made with Pallas, he'd been put to work immediately.
"Now that you're my "helper", I need some assistance with gathering some supplies from the forest. Here." Pallas thrust a long sheet in my hand, filled with descriptions and illustrations of at least a hundred different plants.
"I'll need you to learn and memorize everything on that page. Oh, and this one, and this one, and…" Pallas continued to pile up pages, until Cato was basically holding an unbound epic of pages. Cato sputtered, looking down at the mountain of pages, but Pallas snorted.
"Trust me, with the work I'll be giving you, you'll have to memorize it, or you won't survive. Necessity fuels growth, after all. Now, I'll need to gather some Crystal Lilies." Pallas pointed a finger at a vibrant blue flower on one of the pages. Underneath was a short description in a wavy scrawl.
Cato read through the description, shocked by the level of detail despite the seemingly careless handwriting. As he pored through the description however, his face soon twisted, and he looked up at Pallas with a strange gaze. "What is it?" Pallas questioned, confused by his expression.
"This is…an aphrodisiac?!" Cato looked at Pallas with a hint of fear, who stared blankly at him a moment before growling and striking him on the head. "Not for you, you grimy little urchin. I need it for my experiments. Gods, you little monster!"
After this little episode, Pallas briefly explained where to locate the lilies, advising Cato on the best way to grab them, also warning him of some of the local threats. "How am I supposed to fight them off if I run into any of them though?" Cato whined.
For the first time, Pallas seemed to grin, as Cato caught a glint of flashing white teeth beneath his hood. "You have a trident on your back don't you? Learn how to use it! This will be some good practical practice. I can't be bothered to baby you through the forest, or what's the point of making you go in the first place? You'll need to earn your keep, much less the chance to awaken. Now, off you go?"
After being shooed out of the tree that they were residing in, Cato reluctantly set off towards the area where the lilies grew. It wasn't far, but he had to cross a river and had several near misses with creatures ranging from an aggressive butterfly to a napping snake coiled around a tree. Just one fang peeking out from its massive maw was as tall as Cato.
However, after 2 hours of stress-filled travel, he finally arrived on the top of a hill overlooking a field of blue. His clothes clung to his back with sweat, and he was out of breath, but Cato had reached the lilies. He began to make his way down the gentle incline, the trident strapped to his back bouncing with each step.
It had been quite inconvenient to carry, and he thankfully hadn't had a chance to use it, but better safe than sorry. He reached the bottom of the slope, and he felt the ground change beneath his feet. He had been running for hours through a sea of protruding roots, sharp stones, bleached bones and coarse soil, so the soft dirt that let the lilies grow was a relief.
He dug his toes into the soil, and fell on his butt, breathing out a deep sigh. The point of the trident dug into his back so he slung it over his shoulder and tossed it into the flowers, making a trident shaped indent in the field of blue.
He stared up at the sky, little bits of blue sky framed here and there through the foliage over his head. Regardless of the obvious danger this place possessed, Cato couldn't help but admire the beauty of the untamed nature.
He sat up, and plucked a lily, examining it in his hand. It was about the size of his palm, with 6 petals that were a pale blue. The petals shimmered oddly in the light, slowly changing hues of blue. Small crystalline patterns were visible on the leaves, giving it its namesake.
Cato began collecting, as Pallas hadn't specified the number, but he could infer that it was a hefty amount. He packed them in a small bag he'd slung under his arm, quickly filling it with the startlingly blue leaves.
As he continued to pick the leaves, his fingers began to become stained with blue, startling Cato. The tips of his fingers were a rich blue, and he stupidly smelled them, curious abou the smell of the beautiful flowers.
They smelled sweet, a gentle aroma that seemed to fill his nose instantly. However, almost immediately after, he felt his body gradually begin to heat up. A warm current ran down his body, and his mouth seemed to dry up.
He felt a vague itch inside, and he had no clue how to quench it. Then it dawned on him what the feeling was. He'd remembered that the flowers were strong aphrodisiacs. Cato tried to cool his head and figure out how to combat the effect, but already his head was becoming filled with a warm buzz.
Cato began heading back to the Tree as fast as he could, but the aphrodisiac flowing through his system greatly impeded his progress. He continuously stumbled over vines and low hanging branches he'd looked past in his haze.
After a particularly nasty fall, many of the flowers had fallen out of the bag, and Cato struggled to pack them all back into the bag. His body was beginning to grow uncomfortably hot, and he wiped a bead of sweat off his brow.
There was a rustle in the bushes at that moment, and the sudden noise helped to clear Cato's mind briefly. He turned and saw a hint of movement among the tall, swaying green grass on the far side of the field he was in.
He slowly walked over, and swept back the grass with the tip of his trident, body tensed in preparation for an attack. Instead, he was shocked to find a small purple cat cowering behind the grass, looking up at him in fear.
He sighed in relief, and looked around. Why was such a small cat here? It was quite cute, with a white underbelly and small yellow eyes. It mewled, looking up at him cautiously. Seeing the adorable behavior, Cato broke into a smile, reaching out a hand slowly to pet it.
That's when he heard a deep growl resound right above him, rattling him all over with the power of it. He fell back, and looked up with trepidation. Standing atop a thick tree branch above him was a massive purple cat.
It had its teeth bared, long canines that seemed closer to knives than teeth. Its piercing yellow eyes glared daggers at Cato, as a warning growl resounded from its throat. Cato gulped, a cold sweat running down his back.
He retracted his hand, as he slowly began to back up, putting up his hands in what he hoped was a sign he meant no harm. However, the massive predator didn't take the hint, as it dropped to the forest floor, its tail swaying protectively in front of the small cub behind it.
Cato realized it must be the smaller cat's mother, and was being protective of it. Thankfully, it didn't seem like it would attack him if he backed off. Cato finally reached the edge of the clearing, still facing the massive pacing panther.
Cato spun quickly, and darted towards a thick group of trees, hearing a warning roar behind him. Thankfully, the cat didn't give chase, but Cato didn't take any chances, continuing to run all the way to the tree.
After this little scare, the adrenaline pumping through him had already dispelled the effect of the aphrodisiac long ago. Thankfully, Cato hadn't gotten a strong whiff of it, or else he didn't know if he would've safely returned in time.
Night had begun to fall after all, and Pallas had briefly warned him that the forest was 10 times more dangerous at night, as the stronger predators began to wake up and look for food around sundown.
Cato sat down with a plop on the makeshift cot that Pallas had given him, and let out a deep sigh. It had been quite an action filled day, and Cato was exhausted. Just as he got ready to sleep, a red flash filled his vision.
He looked down and noticed that the previously clear stone on the bracelet was glowing a vibrant scarlet. Then a voice resounded from it that sent chills down his spine. "Hello newbies, sorry to have taken so long to drop in. Now, let's begin the real training!"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone