Soul Fragments were one of the defining features of Dreadspire. By consuming these mysterious orbs, players could absorb the power of the corresponding monster: gaining stat increases, one active skill, and one passive skill.

But not everyone could use them.

Dragonians, completely lacking Soul Affinity, couldn't absorb it.

Some humans, particularly wizards and priests, also avoided them. Either due to their magical incompatibility or, in the case of priests, for religious reasons.

"They say it corrupts your soul," Darwyn had said during one of our campfire talks. "Ties it to the monster you absorb. That's why the clerics stay away."

As a druid, I had Low Affinity. I could absorb Soul Fragments, but lacked Soul Power, the resource needed for active skills.

Still, there were a few exceptions. Some fragments granted spells instead of skills, like Gravelurker Soul Fragment.

Another crucial limitation, everyone started with just one Soul Slot. Once a fragment was absorbed, it became a permanent part of the soul. Removing it was possible, but expensive, complex, and dangerous.

I glanced down at the Horrogoth Soul Fragment in my hand.

By consuming it, I would lock my only Soul Slot, preventing me from absorbing any others unless I upgraded the level.

But realistically, there was no better option.

Soul Fragments from Secret Bosses were leagues above those from normal monsters. Even compared to the Gravelurker's, this one was on a completely different level.

I tightened my grip around the orb, my decision set.

"Well," I exhaled, "here's to bad decisions."

"Are you sure about this?" Elena asked, her sharp eyes studying me.

I exhaled slowly, then nodded. "Yeah. This will help us in our next destination. I can't afford to pass it up."

Orin grinned. "Then what are you waiting for? Down the hatch!"

"Thanks, everyone." I smirked, took one last look at the swirling red-and-black sphere, shoving it into my mouth.

The moment it touched my tongue, a wave of energy exploded through my body.

A rush of raw power coursed through my veins. My vision blurred. My heartbeat pounded like war drums.

[Eryndor Leafshade] [Soul Level: 1 Vitality: 35 → 51 HP Regen: 3 → 6 Physical Resistance: 7 → 13 Magic Resistance: 10 Fire Resistance: 0 → 12 Strength: 56 → 78 Agility: 17 → 19 Movement Speed: 5 → 8 Wisdom: 37 Willpower: 134] [Spells: Rejuvenation, Galestride, Inner Beast, Tempest Shield, Gorgroth's Call Skills: Fiery Wrath, Hellfire Passives: Ooborosk's Mantle, Blazing Cinderstorm]

I couldn't see the exact stat increases, but I could feel the surge of power coursing through me. I flexed my fingers, adjusting to the newfound power.

"Feeling anything different?" Elena asked, watching me with curiosity.

I nodded slowly. "Yeah… I don't know about the other stats, but I can tell my Strength has gone up significantly." I spun my staff in one hand, testing the balance. "This thing feels ridiculously light now."

My strength had definitely increased. Far beyond what it had been, even when I still had the Fangbone Scepter.

Darwyn whistled. "That's a good sign. What about your skills?"

I frowned. "I can't use the active skill… but I can definitely feel the passive one."

There was a strange warmth in my palms, an embers-like heat that wasn't there before. It wasn't painful, more like an untapped fire waiting to be unleashed.

I clenched my fists. This power… it's different.

Elena crossed her arms. "Fire-related, huh? That makes sense, considering Horrogoth's abilities."

Muradin smirked. "Well, there's only one way to find out how good it is. Use it in battle."

I exhaled, a small grin forming on my lips. I can't wait.

***

"Can't we just stick around here for a while? Fight some weaker monsters instead?" Orin asked, glancing between us.

"That might not be a bad idea," Darwyn agreed. "We've already gathered a decent amount of loot, and honestly… I don't think we're ready to take on another high-risk adventure just yet. We barely made it out alive last time."

Elena shifted uncomfortably. "But… Erynd promised to help me find the Soul Fragment," she murmured, her voice tinged with hesitation. It was clear she wasn't eager to argue against her older brother.

Muradin scoffed. "Come on, what are you all thinking? This is the Tower. Danger is part of the deal. The more we avoid it, the less we grow. We need to keep pushing forward."

I nodded, agreeing with him. "Muradin's right. We came here to get stronger, not to play it safe."

That settled it. Majority ruled, and soon we were back on the move, heading toward the Northern Glades.

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As we traveled, I made every effort to test my new passive ability.

I channeled Mana attack through my staff. Nothing.

I swung my staff directly at enemies, landing solid blows. Still nothing.

I even tried punching a monster with my bare fists, desperate at this point.

Not even a flicker of change.

Frustrated, I activated Inner Beast and Galestride, hoping they would interact with the passive somehow. But even with my enhanced Strength and Agility, it made no difference.

There has to be some kind of condition to trigger it.

The only way to truly understand its mechanics was to let a wizard study it in detail. But that wasn't an option. We had all agreed to keep this a secret.

No one could know about Horrogoth, especially not about its Soul Fragment.

***

By the time night fell, we were exhausted. The trek had been long, and despite our victories, a sense of unease still lingered.

We set up camp in a small clearing, surrounded by towering trees. The soft crackle of the campfire mixed with the distant howls of nocturnal creatures deep within the nearby forest.

Muradin plopped down onto a fallen log, stretching his arms. "Finally! If I had to walk another hour, I swear my legs would just fall off."

Orin laughed as she passed him a piece of dried meat. "That's funny, coming from the guy who boasts about his endurance every chance he gets."

"Endurance is for battle," Muradin shot back, taking a dramatic bite of his food. "Not for endless hiking through monster-infested woods."

Elena sat quietly near the fire, checking her inventory lists. Her gaze flickered toward me. "Erynd, still trying to figure out your new power?"

I sighed, staring at my hand. "Yeah. No matter what I do, it won't activate. I thought maybe hitting things would trigger it, but… nothing."

Darwyn tossed another log into the fire, sparks flying up into the night sky. "Some passives have specific conditions. Maybe it only works under certain circumstances, like when you're under attack, or when your health drops below a certain point."

Muradin smirked. "Maybe you need to get hit first. Want me to punch you? You know, for science?"

I shot him a deadpan look. "Yeah, no thanks."

Elena chuckled. "It's a possibility, though. Some passives don't work unless they're reacting to something."

Orin grinned mischievously. "Or maybe it only activates when you're angry. Try thinking about this afternoon when you dropped all your Mana Stones into a river."

I groaned. "I told you to never bring that up again."

The group laughed, the tension from earlier easing.

Despite my frustrations, I knew I wasn't alone. Whatever this mystery power was, I would figure it out with them by my side.

For now, though, we had earned this moment of rest.

***

We resumed our journey at dawn, pushing deeper into the dense forest. The towering trees around us formed a thick canopy, their intertwined branches allowing only slivers of sunlight to pierce through.

As we walked, I continued trying to activate my passive skill, experimenting with different movements, different attacks, anything that might trigger it. Still nothing.

Elena, on the other hand, was honing her control over Silkshade Phantom. She tried to perform combo attacks with her Phantom while avoiding enemy attacks.

"You're getting faster," I said, panting a little.

She glanced at me with a smirk. "Thanks. But the timing's still off. There's a slight delay in the movement."

"Still better than before," I replied.

Meanwhile, Darwyn and Orin had been chatting more than usual.

"—and then he actually tried to catch a Razorbeak with a handful of trail mix," Orin was saying between giggles. "I thought it was going to peck his eyes out."

Darwyn chuckled. "To be fair, it worked on that squirrel the day before."

"That was a squirrel, Darwyn."

"Squirrel, bird, same strategy. Bribery and charm."

"More like dumb luck and a death wish," Orin shot back.

I tried to ignore them.

Focus on yourself, Erynd. You've got bigger problems.

***

"Whew," Muradin muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. "We're close. Look ahead."

The forest changed before our eyes. What had been lush greenery just moments ago was now something darker. The trees twisted upward like gnarled fingers. Their bark had thinned, flaking like ash. The leaves were blackened at the edges, tinged with sickly purples and moldy greens.

A strange mist hung low in the air.

"I don't like the look of that place," Orin murmured, gripping her bow a little tighter.

"Same," I said, scanning the treeline. "It's getting dark fast. We should wait till morning."

No one objected. Better to be cautious than reckless.

As we set up camp in a small clearing, we split up to hunt for monsters since the ones here aren't very strong.

"Let's make this quick," Elena said, tucking her hair. "I'd rather not run into anything we're not prepared for."

"Agreed," Darwyn said, drawing his bow. "We stay within a one-km radius. If anything goes wrong, we regroup immediately."

Everyone nodded before scattering into the twilight wilderness.

***

By the time we regrouped, the sun had fully set, and the air had grown chillier.

Orin and Darwyn returned after me, their cloaks damp with dew. They dumped their haul into the shared sack. Mana Stones glinting like dim stars. Mostly from Shadow Stalkers, those nasty, skittering things that thrived in low-light.

Muradin showed up next, blood smeared across his shoulder plate.

"Took down a few Stonefang Lizards. Bastards wouldn't stay still," he grunted, dropping three stones into the pile. "Couldn't even loot the last one, damn thing fell into a ravine."

"Show-off," Orin teased, elbowing him.

"And what about you?" Muradin asked, turning to me. "How much?"

"Not much," I dropped a few small stones into the pile. It barely made a sound.

"Still counts," Orin said gently, starting to sort the stones. "We've got about 3,000 Mana Stones total. Not bad for a short run."

I sat down near the crackling campfire, thinking.

She nudged me with her elbow. "Still no progress?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. I don't get it. I should be able to feel something, right?"

Muradin smirked. "I keep saying. Let me punch you. Just once."

I glared. "I'd rather keep my teeth, thanks."

Orin chuckled. "Maybe it requires a specific trigger. Some passives only work in life-or-death situations."

I sighed. "Great. So I have to nearly die just to figure out what my power is?"

Darwyn leaned against a tree, arms crossed, watching the flames flicker. "Then let's just hope you unlock it before we meet something we can't handle."

His words hung in the air, heavy and ominous, mixing with the fire's crackling and the unsettling sounds of the dark forest.

Shadows danced across our tired faces. No one spoke after that. Just the wind. Just the darkness.

Tomorrow, we'd enter the heart of the forest. And if we weren't ready, there'd be no coming back.

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