The forty percent loss was more than a number; it was a physical sensation. The intense, freezing density in Alex's core had thinned, and with it, the artificial strength it had lent to Elian's body faded instantly. His arms, still throbbing from the Stillness discharge, felt heavy and useless again.
He was no longer just running from Theron; he was running from a ticking clock built into his own power.
The Inverse Economy
Alex staggered up the path, his mind frantically recalibrating the ledger based on the new, brutal rules:
Passive Drain: The Stillness didn't just sit there; it depleted over time. The faster his reserves drained, the faster he had to find a new source.
Biological Debt Repayment: His body had been subtly nourished by the stored Stillness. Now, as the supply dropped, the frail host body was immediately demanding repayment. His exhaustion was severe, and the hunger returned with a sharp, sickening intensity.
Capacity Growth: The silver lining—or the trap—was that the more Stillness he stored, the faster his capacity to hold more would grow. He needed to keep his tank full to accelerate his own growth and secure his future, but keeping it full now felt like hauling water with a bucket full of holes.
His power was no longer a safe buffer; it was an addiction. He was forced onto an aggressive supply line to stave off immediate collapse.
The Pull of the Thorp
The path leveled out, merging with a wider, deer-trodden track. The King's Wood began to thin, and the air grew slightly warmer, carrying the distant, faint smell of woodsmoke and a large, concentrated group of people. The Thorp of Wyllow.
Alex pushed his oversized boots forward, ignoring the burning in his heels. He couldn't afford to walk. The drain rate was significant, and he was already dipping into the lower half of his tank. Every minute he wasted, the closer he came to the dreaded zero.
He no longer saw the Thorp as a source of food (Ledger One); he saw it as a cluster of life-force and potential tragedy (Ledger Two). A large group of people represented a large field of ambient Mana, and, more importantly, a potential source of Stillness acquisition if anything went wrong.
He had a few hours, perhaps until dawn. before his stored Stillness ran so low and that became an active, minute-by-minute threat.
He needed a high-concentration Stillness event, and he needed it fast. A simple graveyard wouldn't cut it this time; he needed a large, potent burst of death energy to refill the forty percent gap, start his capacity growth, and give him the strength to push beyond Wyllow.
The Shadow of Civilization
As the first, faint, grey outlines of the Thorp's defensive palisade appeared through the mist, Alex made his final assessment.
He had one short-range, complex Stillness command left—enough to lock a gate or perhaps temporarily freeze an armed guard. He would not use it to acquire food or open a door. It was reserved entirely for Mana Acquisition or Defense against Theron.
He stripped off the heavy wool cloak and buried it beneath a thicket of brush, saving it for the next leg of his journey. The ragged clothes of a runaway boy would draw less attention than a richly woven—if dirty—traveler's cloak. He found a piece of charcoal and smeared mud and ash across his face, adding to his sickly, harmless appearance.
He entered the Thorp as the first grey light of pre-dawn began to touch the sky. Wyllow was a dense, unplanned clutter of wooden and wattle-and-daub buildings, surrounded by a low, earthen wall.
Alex scanned the Stillness field. The cold was scattered—a gentle, humming warmth of life permeated the town, but he detected a strong, focused vein of intense cold near the center. It was too pure for a disease pit, too structured for a single tragedy.
He followed the cold, creeping through the silent streets. The Stillness led him directly to the center of the town, to a low, imposing stone building that looked ancient and solid against the flimsy wooden structures. A single, heavy Iron Gate sealed the entrance, and the freezing cold radiated from within, promising a powerful, terrible stillness.
He had found a Mana source, but it wasn't a graveyard. It was a prison.