Devon pushed himself off the ground and took a cautious step forward. "Alright, northeast, 142 meters. Let's see if I can find water without running into anything dangerous."
He moved carefully through the forest, stepping over massive roots and weaving around thick undergrowth. The trees towered impossibly high, their trunks wide enough to fit small houses. Light barely reached the forest floor in patches, leaving it dim and the shadows ever shifting.The forest floor was a tapestry of bizarre life. Fungi the size of stools bloomed in clusters along the roots, their caps pulsating faintly. Tiny, three-legged beetles with shells the color of polished bronze skittered across the moss.
Above, the sky was streaked with strange shapes, creatures with elongated wings and translucent bodies gliding through the air, tiny pinpricks in the distance, but for him to see them they must be massive.
Occasionally, a flicker of movement in the shadows would make him freeze, convinced he was being stalked. As he skirted a wide tree root, he reached out with his free hand to steady himself on a small tree, his fingers stretching toward a cluster of low, broad leaves that looked surprisingly soft and green.
[WARNING: DIRECT CONTACT HAZARD. Host proximity to Flora Type: Caustic Filter-Leaf. Contact causes immediate neurotoxin absorption. ]
Devon snatched his hand back as if burned. A few minutes later, he spotted a large, glossy black beetle with thick, segmented legs scuttling across a patch of moss directly in his path. It was about the size of his thumb. Instinctively, Devon raised his foot to crush it.
[WARNING: PRESSURIZATION DANGER. Insect Classification: Shatterback Beetle. Carapace contains highly pressurized gaseous toxin. Physical termination causes aerosolized dispersal.]
Devon froze, quickly rerouting his path to step well around the insect. The System's value, he realized, was not in combat, but in basic survival knowledge.
By the time he reached the edge of the stream, his hands were trembling slightly. He crouched and drank slowly, letting the cool water run down his throat and splashing it over his face. The sound of the stream was the first comforting sound he had heard since waking up. He walked back from the bank and found a small log nearby to sit on, taking a full minute to let the adrenaline fade. He had been trembling from the stress of moving through the alien environment. Every sound and shadow had spiked his anxiety. He was wary, but his survival instincts kept panic at bay.
He wiped his mouth and looked at his hands. "Alright, System. How do I test this skill? What is it capable of?"
[Void Manipulation: Suggested Process: Visualize object, concentrate on bringing it into existence, guide formation with intent. Properties: Dense energy field, capable of interacting with physical matter. Contact with living or inert matter will result in absorption or disintegration. Controlled personal interaction possible through focused intent.]
Devon swallowed. "So if I screw this up I could destroy something?"
[Affirmative. Caution advised. Controlled practice required.]
[Guided Activation: To fully access the Void, focus inward and sense the energy running through your body. It begins at the core of your being, a subtle vibration beneath your skin, then spreads through your limbs and flows into your extremities. Your mind will feel it first as a quiet awareness, a space of nothingness coexisting with thought. The Void interacts with your intentions, shaping your perception of reality itself. Notice the pull, the tug of potential in your chest and between your hands. With concentration, it can be guided outward, but always maintain awareness of its density and force. Allow it to move naturally to pulse with your heartbeat, and gradually you will feel the flow respond to your focus.]
Devon inhaled slowly, closing his eyes for a moment. After a few minutes, he thought he could feel the an energy coiling through his chest. It was strange, neither painful nor warm, but a strange, electric tension that made his hair stand on end. He held his hands out and pictured a small black sphere hovering in front of him.
For a brief moment, nothing happened. Then a tiny black speck flickered into existence. It wavered, unstable and fragile. Devon's eyes widened. "Holy shit."
The sphere twisted and shivered, failing to hold its shape. It collapsed into nothing, leaving a faint vacuum of emptiness.
He clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay calm. Another attempt. He focused harder, picturing the sphere forming from the space itself. Slowly, the orb re materialized, trembling slightly above his palm. This time it held together for a moment longer, wobbling slightly but remaining intact. Devon exhaled sharply. "Okay. That is something."
For the next hour, he practised in short bursts. Each sphere flickered into existence, collapsed, or stabilized for slightly longer periods. He discovered that even minor adjustments of focus could make or break it. Gradually, he learned to hold the orb for longer and longer, but he was quickly feeling drained. "Okay" he said "I think that's enough for now. How did I do?"
[Result: Void Sphere Stabilized. Energy Usage: 75 percent of current reserves. Recommendation: Continue gradual practice to improve stability and control.]
[Additional Reminder: Environmental Survey Required. Recommendation: Locate shelter before nightfall. Survival probability increases with secure resting position.]
"Where would I find the best shelter nearby? I need to get there before it gets dark."
[Query Acknowledged. Immediate need prioritized: Secure Overnight Shelter.]
[Analysis: Multiple potential shelters detected. Threat analysis conducted.
Option 1: Rock Outcropping. Location 110m North. Offers height advantage. Low concealment.
Option 2: Hollowed-Out Tree. Location 78m East-Southeast. Offers excellent concealment. Good defensibility for a small space.
Option 3: Dense Shrub Labyrinth. Location 55m South. Offers maximum concealment. Defensibility is poor against large entities. ]
Devon quickly weighed the options. The rock outcropping was too exposed, and the dense shrubbery sounded like a trap. He needed something solid and easy to defend.
"The hollow tree" Devon said, already convinced. "It's closer than the rock and offers more protection than the bushes. I'll head there."
[Guidance Logged: Host has selected Hollowed-Out Tree at 78 meters East-Southeast.]
[Current Shelter Threat Assessment: Low. Tree interior indicates no recent large entity occupancy.]