Anthus scanned the horizon, searching for any landmark to orient himself. Only endless, undulating forest met his gaze beneath the bruised twilight sky. The air hung heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves.
*'Should I recalibrate the minimap's radar to identify terrain features?'*
The thought flickered through his mind as he leapt, fingers finding purchase on rough bark. He hauled himself up the ancient tree, seeking a clearer vantage point. The higher he climbed, the cooler the air became, whispering against his sweat-dampened skin.
*'Wait… What if I integrated a vortex into the HUD core? A passive intake, drawing ambient energy instead of draining me directly…'*
A spark of pure inspiration ignited within him. Settling onto a thick branch, Anthus closed his eyes, shutting out the rustling canopy. He focused inward.
*'The core is an orb… intricate pathways… but an empty center draining* my *reserves. Reroute. Replace the void with a vortex—an external siphon. Make the system supplemental, not parasitic.'*
He visualized the vortex spinning to life within his mind's eye. Immediately, a profound resistance surged against the nascent energy structure, a pressure threatening to unravel it before it fully formed.
*'Needs more focus… More fuel. Amplify absorption—channel creation.'*
His palm pressed flat against the coarse tree trunk. He envisioned the vortex expanding, anchoring itself *through* his hand, drawing not just air, but the deep, resonant vitality humming within the ancient wood. A potent, green-tinged energy surged into him. The mental strain eased, replaced by a thrilling, almost overwhelming influx of power.
***BZZZT—***
The vortex emitted a sharp, electrical hum as it locked into stability, thrumming with contained potential.
*'Perfect. Now… seed it. Imprint core protocols: moral, ethical, practical parameters. My philosophies. Its nature must be logical, principled, helpful.'*
The previous disjointed "remarks" hadn't been true communication, he realized—merely raw system feedback, an intuitive translation of the energy resistance between his mind and the forming vortex. This would be different.
*'Integration complete. Now, feed it: vortex data streams, my cognitive patterns, adaptive growth algorithms… but strictly bounded. Never exceed core parameters.'*
For a heartbeat, the vortex *stuttered*, its spin faltering dangerously, threatening to collapse inward.
Alarm jolted through Anthus. He instinctively deepened the connection to the tree, pulling harder. The bark beneath his palm grew noticeably warmer.
***Creeeak—***
His ears pricked. A shower of fine, desiccated dust drifted onto his hair and shoulders. The sound was deep, structural.
*'What the—? Later! Almost there!'* He poured every shred of will into the vortex.
***Thoom.***
A deep, resonant chime echoed within the sanctum of his mind, not a sound, but a *felt* vibration.
The vortex stabilized, its chaotic spin resolving into a perfect, humming gyre. Simultaneously, the core of his HUD/system *expanded*. Geometric lattices bloomed across his vision, intricate pathways igniting with light, revealing layers of functionality previously unseen.
A soft, synthesized chime preceded the voice. It was clean, precise, yet held an underlying warmth.
**[Greetings, Anthus.]**
*'You're awake! Fantastic! Do you… have a designation? Or shall I assign one?'*
A subtle, almost melodic cascade of soft whirrs and digital tones answered, like circuits thoughtfully aligning.
**[I have selected Delphi. It is… agreeable. Connection established.]**
A surprised chuckle escaped Anthus. *Delphi.* Apt. And distinctly… feminine. *'Nice to meet you, Delphi.'* He opened his eyes—and froze.
The massive tree limb beneath him was a latticework of deep fissures. The vibrant green leaves overhead were now brittle, skeletal brown, crumbling into ash. The trunk itself was gray, lifeless, radiating cold where moments ago it had pulsed with warmth. Horror washed over him, cold and sharp.
**[Warning: Structural integrity of primary support compromised. Immediate descent advised. Bio-energy assimilation exceeded host organism's sustainability threshold by 247%.]**
The branch gave a final, agonized groan. It disintegrated beneath his boots in a cascade of rotten wood and dust. Anthus pushed off, tucking into a roll as he hit the forest floor, landing hard on one knee. Behind him, the entire tree collapsed inwards with a sighing rush, dissolving into a mound of grey powder and splinters.
*'Woah. I… I didn't realize the draw was that intense.'* He stared at the dust settling on his hands, the implications chilling. Then, a new sensation pricked his awareness—a low, insistent thrumming, felt more than heard, like distant, discordant bells buried deep in the earth. He scanned the twilight shadows.
*'Delphi… do you sense that?'*
**[Affirmative. Analysis indicates: Necrotic resonance. A 'call of the dead'.]** A brief pause, filled with the soft hum of processing. **[Compatibility assessment: High affinity detected. User Anthus possesses latent attunement to Death and Shadow elemental matrices. Probability of successful undead animation: 87.3%.]**
*'What—'* Anthus recoiled internally, but the pull was undeniable now—a cold current tugging at his core. He rose, dusting grey ash from his knees, his gaze drawn deeper into the darkening woods. He moved towards the source, unable to tell if it was a sound vibrating in his bones or a silent, gnawing hunger emanating from the shadows themselves.
'*Delphi, shadows… undead… Aren't these forces inherently evil? Why would* I *have an affinity? I'm not—*' Anthus's hand rose, fingers tangling lightly in his hair, a physical echo of the turmoil twisting within him. A cold prickle ran down his spine, unrelated to the twilight chill.
**[Correction: Shadow and Undead are energy matrices, Anthus. Morality resides in application, not essence. Historical correlation with malevolent users ≠ inherent corruption. The Void answers intent. Reach out. Bear witness. Understanding will follow.]** Delphi's tone remained logical, yet the cadence held a subtle emphasis, urging him past fear.
Anthus swallowed, the taste of ash still faint on his tongue. *'Alright.'* He took a steadying breath, the air suddenly thick and expectant. *Faith. Take the leap.* He closed his eyes, not just shutting out the dying forest, but actively lowering the mental barriers shielding his core. He opened his awareness to the *call* – the low, discordant thrumming, the cold pull, the gnawing sense of profound *loss* radiating from his right.
Each step deepened the connection. The sensation intensified, a cold current coiling around his spirit, drawing him onward until he stood before the source. Not a corpse, but a faintly luminescent, green-tinged *stain* upon the earth – the last, scattered essence of the fallen Ventros, reduced to ethereal dust.
Driven by instinct deeper than thought, Anthus extended his hand, palm upturned, a gesture both offering and command. He bent forward slightly, and the words emerged not from his lips, but from the raw core of his will, resonating with the Ventros's final defiance: ***"Rage…"*** His voice was a low thrum, harmonizing with the call of the dead. ***"Rage against the dying of the light."***
Silence descended like a physical weight. The wind died mid-whisper. Every rustling leaf froze. The glowing dust upon the ground *stirred*. It swirled, coalescing into a vortex darker than the surrounding shadows. From the inky whirlpool, a hand formed – pure, liquid shadow – and clawed into the soil for purchase. Another followed. A head emerged, featureless save for two points of deep, burning violet light that ignited within the darkness. The shadow-figure hauled itself fully into the world, standing tall and unnervingly silent. Then, with deliberate grace, it placed one cool, incorporeal hand *into* Anthus's upturned palm. The touch was like plunging his hand into ice-cold water, yet devoid of malice.
***"Rage…"*** The word echoed from the shadow-being, a deep, resonant vibration felt in the bones rather than heard, the violet pupils flaring like captured stars.
It sank smoothly to one knee, bowing its shadowed head.
***"Master. I serve. For eternity."***
A profound understanding flooded Anthus, bypassing conscious thought. Kinship. Purpose. Not servitude born of domination, but a pact forged in shared desperation. This being was *rage* given form – rage against oblivion, yearning for one last chance to *be* before the final fade. Its pledge was not to evil, but to the spark that defied the endless dark.
**[Analysis complete: Undead Entity successfully bound. Designation: Ventros Shadow-Stalker. Capabilities: Exceptional agility, phasing, sensory acuity within darkness. Congratulations, Anthus.]**
**[System Update: Undead Army Protocol initialized. Command Hierarchy established.]**
Anthus released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, the tension easing slightly. "Welcome," he murmured, the word thick with unprocessed awe and a dawning sense of responsibility.
Almost instinctively, guided by the new protocol humming within his expanded HUD, he willed the connection. The kneeling shadow dissolved like ink dispersing in water, flowing seamlessly *into* Anthus's own shadow on the forest floor, deepening it momentarily before settling into an unnaturally still pool beneath him.
Before him, where only decay and twilight had reigned, another Path had silently unfurled – shadowed, enigmatic, and irrevocably his.