Kael didn't remember much about the journey back to his hut after the Rune of Ephemeral Knowledge expired. It was a haze of bone-deep weariness, driven by the primal instinct to reach safety before collapsing. Corvus had stayed close, his occasional soft caws a grounding presence in the fog of Kael's exhaustion.
He slept for nearly eighteen hours straight, a deep, dreamless slumber that bordered on oblivion. When he finally awoke, the sun was high in the sky, casting dappled patterns through the small window of his hut. His body ached with a profound soreness, a testament to the incredible exertion of the previous day. The 'Severe Mental and Physical Fatigue' warning from the System had thankfully not manifested into a lasting negative status effect, likely due to his high CON (25) and 'Resilience (Rank C)' skill, but he felt drained to his core.
He spent the first few hours simply rehydrating and eating some of his smoked jerky, the rich flavor a welcome comfort. The world felt…normal again. The heightened senses, the vibrant intensity of the rune's effect, were gone, leaving behind a familiar, almost muted reality. It was a strange sort of loss, even though he knew the rune's power had been temporary.
Only when he felt some strength return to his limbs did he finally address the waiting System prompt.
"Yes," he projected, opening his character screen.
Name: Kael
Race: Human (Variant: Unknown)
Age: 11 cycles (Physical)
Status: Fatigued (Moderate - lingering effects of extreme exertion)
Title: The Reborn (Adaptability significantly enhanced in high-stakes/solitary situations. Minor resistance to fear effects.)
Level: 22 (0/3800 XP to Level 23)
Attributes (Base):
Strength (STR): 25Agility (AGI): 25Constitution (CON): 25Intelligence (INT): 24Wisdom (WIS): 21Charisma (CHA): 5
Unspent Attribute Points: 5 (From reaching Level 22)
Unspent Skill Points: 1 (From reaching Level 22)
Notable Skills:
... (Previous skills listed, with 'Advanced Crafting' now Rank A, 'Axe Proficiency' Rank D) ...
He looked at his stats. His physical attributes were now all at a solid 25. His mental attributes were also formidable. The three levels gained in a single day had propelled him forward significantly.
He considered his 5 new attribute points. He could push his physical stats even higher, or further enhance his INT or WIS. Given the mental toll of the rune and the increasing complexity of the challenges he faced (like the ancient lore and the mysteries of the Whisperwood), he decided to invest in his mind this time.
"Allocate 3 points to Intelligence."
[3 Attribute Points allocated to INT. New INT: 27.]
"Allocate 2 points to Wisdom."
[2 Attribute Points allocated to WIS. New WIS: 23.]
His INT of 27 and WIS of 23 felt incredibly sharp, even with the lingering fatigue. His ability to process information, to learn, to perceive, had reached a new peak.
For his skill point, he looked at his skills. 'Advanced Crafting (Rank A)' was already very high. His combat proficiencies ('Bow' and 'Axe') were Rank D. His 'Stealth' was Rank B. He decided to upgrade his 'Air Attunement (Rank F)', the skill that had slowly developed from his use of the Sylphwing Quill. It felt like a key to understanding the more subtle, magical aspects of this world.
"Allocate 1 skill point to improve 'Air Attunement'."
[1 Skill Point allocated. 'Air Attunement (Rank F)' has been upgraded to 'Air Attunement (Rank E)'.]
[Air Attunement (Rank E): Moderately increased sensitivity to air currents, atmospheric pressure changes, and airborne elemental energies. Allows for very basic manipulation of small, localized air currents with focused effort (e.g., subtly guiding an arrow's fletching, briefly deflecting a scent). Stamina cost for manipulation is high. Slightly enhances effects of air-aspected artifacts like the Sylphwing Quill.]
The ability to manipulate air currents, even slightly! That was a significant step. It could improve his archery, his stealth, even his fire-starting.
Closing the character screen, Kael felt the true weight of his gains. He was undeniably powerful now, far beyond what he could have imagined when he first awoke in this world as a terrified child. The rune had been a catalyst, a dangerous but effective shortcut.
He spent the rest of the day in light activity – tending his fire, organizing his supplies, and beginning the long process of butchering the Cave Bear and Dire Wolf carcasses he had managed to haul back closer to his camp during the rune's final hours. He also started the initial scraping of the Heavy Deer Hide, his 'Advanced Crafting (Rank A)' making the work feel almost effortless compared to his earlier attempts. The System even noted a "Flawless Preparation" on one section, hinting at the skill's increased potential.
As evening fell, Kael sat by his fire, the Sylphwing Quill in his hand. He focused, trying to feel the air with his new Rank E 'Air Attunement'. He could sense the cool night breeze as it whispered through the trees, the way it eddied around his hut, the subtle shifts in pressure. He tried to gently nudge a wisp of smoke rising from his fire. It took immense concentration, and a noticeable drain on his stamina, but the smoke wavered, then bent slightly in the direction he willed.
It was a small thing, but it felt like magic. Real magic.
A profound sense of loneliness, an echo of his three years of solitude, settled over him. He had power, skills, a secure homestead. But he was utterly alone. The brief, violent encounters with the tribal warriors had been a stark reminder that other humans existed, but they were hostile, alien.
Corvus landed on his shoulder, a familiar weight. Kael reached up and stroked the crow's head.
"What's out there, Corvus?" he murmured, looking up at the star-dusted sky, a sky that was the same as his old world's, yet so very different. "Beyond this forest? Are there… others like me? Or just more like them?"
The crow cawed softly, offering no answers, only its silent companionship.
The Whisperwood quest still beckoned, a path to knowledge. But a new, unformed yearning began to stir within Kael – a yearning for connection, for something beyond the solitary struggle for survival. The rune had accelerated his growth, but it had also, perhaps, brought him to a threshold where his current existence felt… incomplete.