The first light of dawn filtered through the gaps in Azad's hastily built shelter, casting long shadows on the stone floor. He had survived two nights, bruised but alive. His body ached from digging and fighting off hunger, but there was a growing sense of accomplishment in him. Today was his last day of the trial—if he could survive the night.
Azad stretched, rolling his stiff shoulders. His shelter was more fortified now, with stone walls instead of dirt, and torches flickered around the entrance, casting a warm glow.
"Alright, let's make today count," he muttered, grabbing his pickaxe and stepping outside into the cool morning air. His eyes scanned the horizon cautiously, ever wary of lurking danger. The memory of the creeper blast still made his heart race, but today he felt a little more prepared.
Azad had spent the night mining deeper into the ground, and his efforts had paid off. He'd unearthed a small cache of coal deep within the earth, which he now used to create torches. The fire crackled, casting a steady glow over the shelter.
"Finally… some light" he grinned as the room illuminated from the torches glow. Using five torches he lit up his room inside and also used two torches to lit up outside his house for some added protection.
"I feel like a proper noble now," Azad said to himself, inspecting his renovated house.
After renovating his house, Azad ventured out into the surrounding forest once again. He gathered more wood and hunted a few more cows for food, knowing that he would need plenty of energy to survive the night.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Azad stood at the entrance to his shelter, gripping his sword tightly. The sky turned a deep purple, and the familiar sounds of creatures stirring in the darkness echoed around him—zombies groaning, skeletons clattering, and spiders skittering over the stone.
"Alright, come on, then," he muttered under his breath, adrenaline pumping through his veins. "This is it. One more night."
The first to emerge from the shadows were zombies, their lumbering forms staggering toward him. Azad charged forward, swinging his sword with newfound confidence. The blade sliced through their rotting flesh, and the zombies fell one by one. "That's more like it," Azad grinned, wiping sweat from his brow.
But just as he was about to retreat to his shelter, a strange, unsettling sound caught his attention—a low, vibrating hum that sent a chill down his spine. Slowly, Azad turned, and his heart nearly stopped when he saw it.
The tall, shadowy figure loomed on the edge of the forest, its glowing purple eyes locked onto him. Azad swallowed hard. "Oh no... what the heck is this creature?," he whispered.
He backed away slowly, trying to avoid eye contact, but his foot caught on a root, and he stumbled. His gaze flicked up to the shadowy figure for just a second.
Instantly, the shadowy figure let out a terrifying shriek, its long limbs twitching violently before it teleported closer in an instant. Azad's heart pounded in his chest as he scrambled to his feet, gripping his sword tighter.
"Damn it!" he cursed, bracing himself as the shadowy figure charged at him with unnatural speed. He swung his sword, but theshadowy figure blinked out of existence, reappearing behind him with a furious screech.
Azad spun around just in time to block a powerful strike from the creature's long arm, but the force of the hit sent him staggering back. "I can't keep up with it…"
The shadowy figure vanished again, teleporting around him in quick, unpredictable bursts. Azad barely had time to react, swinging his sword wildly, trying to anticipate where the creature would reappear. His heart raced as the world seemed to blur around him.
Suddenly, the shadowy figure appeared right in front of him, its purple eyes glowing with rage. Azad swung his sword with all his strength, the blade connecting with the creature's torso. It let out a piercing scream, and black particles swirled around it as it staggered back.
"Now's my chance!" Azad lunged forward, driving his sword into the shadowy figure again. The creature shrieked once more before vanishing in a puff of smoke, leaving behind only a handful of purple particles.
Azad stood there, breathing heavily, his sword still raised. "Did I… did I get it?" he whispered, scanning the darkness for any sign of the shadowy figure. The silence that followed was deafening.
After a long moment, he let out a shaky breath and lowered his sword. "That… was way too close."
But there was no time to celebrate. From the shadows, more mobs were emerging—skeletons with their bows drawn, spiders skittering toward him. Azad gritted his teeth, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Alright," he muttered. "Round two."
Azad fought tirelessly through the night, his sword flashing in the moonlight as he took down wave after wave of enemies. He was bruised, bloodied, and exhausted, but each time he felt like giving up, he pushed himself to keep going. The shadowy figure's attack had shaken him, but he was still standing. Still fighting.
As the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, the sounds of the night faded, and the monsters retreated into the darkness. Azad leaned against the stone wall of his shelter, his chest heaving with exhaustion.
"Three nights," he whispered, staring up at the sky as the stars disappeared. "I survived three nights."
He let out a soft, weary laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "I actually did it."
His body ached, his mind was exhausted, but for the first time since this trial had begun, Azad allowed himself to feel proud. He had faced the wilderness alone—and survived.