Chapter 11: Alpha Troll
On a spaceship hovering above a vibrant green planet, Jack monitored Silas's vitals meticulously, watching everything that Silas was seeing. His gaze fell onto the screen with a glint of approval. "Very impressive indeed," he murmured to himself. Meanwhile, back on the planet, Silas and Melissa were utterly exhausted from their hasty retreat. The high adrenaline of the fight was gradually replaced by hunger, leaving Silas with a gnawing emptiness in his stomach.
"I'm starving," Silas groaned, his stomach growling loudly enough to echo through the forest. Spotting a bug on the ground, he scooped it up without a second thought. His mind was so consumed by hunger, he started imagining the bug as a juicy piece of chicken. He looked at the bug for a brief second before popping it into his mouth and beginning to chew. The bug's insides exploded in his mouth, filling it with an unfamiliar, and slightly off-putting taste.
But it was food, and his stomach seemed pleased to finally receive some nourishment. Beside him, Melissa watched in abject horror, her face scrunched up in disgust. She couldn't imagine ever being desperate enough to crunch down on an insect. Suddenly, an unexpected surge of energy filled Silas. The bug, disgusting as it was, had indeed satiated his hunger and rejuvenated him. With their strength renewed, Silas and Melissa resumed their trek through the forest.
However, as time passed, Silas started to feel strange. An odd sensation spread throughout his body, making him increasingly uncomfortable. "Maybe I shouldn't have eaten that bug," Silas admitted, a twinge of regret in his voice. An hour later, the feeling had worsened. He began to break out in a cold sweat, his body getting colder with each passing minute. It was becoming more and more difficult for him to walk, and his vision was slowly blurring.
Then, without warning, a system notification popped up. "Warning: toxins from the Dream Eater bug have entered your system. Find a cure within 2 hours to avoid death!" Silas's eyes widened at the warning. Death? His mind raced as he tried to process the impending danger. Swallowing hard, he turned to Melissa, his voice laced with fear, "Melissa, have you ever heard of a Dream Eater bug?" Melissa pondered for a moment, her finger lightly touching her chin.
"Hmm," she vocalized thoughtfully. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with recognition. "Ah! The Dream Eater bug... I do recall hearing about it, but it's been so long... I can't quite remember what it does," she admitted, seeing the hope in Silas's face drain. "Do you know of any medicine that might help?" Silas asked urgently. "Well, there's a plant that's known to cure most ailments here in the forest. The problem is... it's back the way we came from," Melissa stated, pointing towards the direction they had just traveled.
Without a moment's hesitation, Silas took a deep breath, steeling himself for the return journey. As he started off, Melissa fell into step beside him, curiosity piqued. "Wait, why do you need it? Are you okay?" she asked, finally noticing his pale face and the sweat on his brow. Each step Silas took was a strenuous effort, his body threatening to give out with every movement. Melissa, trailing anxiously beside him, was a picture of nervous anticipation, the worry for Silas etched on her face.
"We're almost there, Silas, just hang on," she urged, encouraging him to keep moving.
Silas, however, was rapidly deteriorating. His heightened senses, usually sharp and responsive, were dwindling down to a mere whisper of what they once were. His mind was solely focused on the plant that could cure him. Noticing the worsening condition of Silas, Melissa offered to use her healing magic on him. He weakly nodded his consent, too drained to even speak.
As she began chanting under her breath, her hands glowing with a soft green light, Silas could feel a gentle warmth envelop him. But after the light subsided, he felt no different. The bug's poison was still coursing through his veins, rendering Melissa's healing magic ineffective. The pair pressed on, their journey now more desperate than ever. With each agonizing step, Silas felt his strength drain from his body. The relentless system notifications echoing in his mind were like sharp needles stabbing into his brain, repeating the dreaded "warning" over and over again.
His vision was blurring, and he could feel his consciousness slipping away from him like sand through fingers. Suddenly, another warning message popped up, "Warning, if user falls unconscious Dark Fairy Form will control host!" The thought terrified Silas. If he transformed now, he might lose control and harm Melissa. The possibility was something he could not accept. It was at this critical juncture that Melissa called out, a note of triumph in her voice.
"I found it!" she cried. Silas was too far gone to respond, his body swollen and painful, his jaw locked. Understanding his plight, Melissa chewed up the plant and carefully fed it to Silas, helping him swallow. Just as they were focused on saving Silas, the forest erupted in chaos. Trees swayed violently, and thunderous footsteps echoed through the undergrowth. A monstrous roar rent the air, causing Melissa and Silas to turn towards the noise.
To their horror, a swarm of trolls emerged from the undergrowth, led by the massive red alpha troll. The predators had located their prey. Struggling to maintain consciousness, Silas managed to gather the last of his energy. "Run, Melissa, leave me!" he bellowed just before blackness claimed him. As his world faded to nothing, a final system message popped up on his fading vision: "Forced Dark Fairy mode activated!"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone