Morning arrived with gentle persistence, golden rays of sunlight filtering through the half-drawn curtains of Eldrin's bedchamber. Unlike the previous day's awakening, there were no screams only the harsh sound of labored breathing as the young heir emerged from his nightmare. The sheets beneath him were soaked with sweat, clinging uncomfortably to his small frame as consciousness returned.
This time, the visions that haunted his sleep had not been exact replicas of that terrible night. Instead, they were distorted memories his father's face melting into the assassin's shifting countenance, his mother's scream transforming into his own, the mysterious stone growing until it engulfed his entire body rather than just his hand. The dreams were no less terrifying for their inaccuracy, perhaps even more so for the way they twisted reality into new horrors.
Sera, who had maintained her vigil throughout the night despite her own exhaustion, immediately noticed his awakening. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, evidence of her sleepless watch, but relief brightened her expression as she leaned forward from her chair.
"Young master," she said softly, reaching for a cloth she had prepared for this very purpose. With gentle efficiency, she began dabbing away the perspiration from his forehead. "How are you feeling this morning?"
Eldrin blinked slowly, his amber eyes gradually focusing on Sera's familiar face. Unlike yesterday, when his gaze had been vacant and distant, today there was recognition a significant improvement that didn't escape Sera's notice. Outside, birds called to one another in the early morning air, their cheerful songs creating a surreal contrast to the grief that blanketed the mansion.
"I'm... okay," Eldrin managed to reply, his voice hoarse from disuse and yesterday's screaming. The words weren't entirely true he was far from okay but compared to the overwhelming despair of the previous day he was certainly better, the dull ache that now filled his chest was indeed an improvement.
Sera's weathered hands moved with practiced care as she helped him sit upright, arranging pillows behind his back for support. She assessed him with the expert eye of one who had tended to him throughout childhood illnesses and injuries.
"You need nourishment," she declared, her tone brooking no argument. "I'll fetch you something from the kitchens nothing too heavy for your stomach, just some broth and perhaps a bit of bread if you feel up to it."
As she rose from her chair, Eldrin's hand shot out instinctively to grasp her sleeve. The thought of being alone sent a spike of panic through his chest, tightening his throat and making his heart race. "No," he pleaded, his fingers curling desperately around the fabric. "Don't leave me please."
For a moment, it seemed the previous day's pattern would repeat Eldrin clinging to the only security he had left, unable to function independently. But then a now-familiar chiming sound rang in his ears, and the translucent interface of the Shadow System materialized before his eyes.
The system's appearance startled him enough to momentarily loosen his grip on Sera, who misinterpreted his sudden pause as permission to depart.
"I'll be quick as a hare, young master don't worry. Just a few minutes to the kitchens and back," she promised, smoothing down her rumpled apron. "You've had nothing but water since... well, in nearly five days now. You must eat to regain your strength."
Before Eldrin could protest further, Sera had slipped out of the room, the heavy door closing behind her with a soft thud that somehow sounded final in the quiet chamber. Alone for the first time since awakening from his trauma-induced unconsciousness, Eldrin felt his breath coming faster, anxiety building in his chest—until the system's display expanded, commanding his full attention.
STATUS UPDATE:
USER: ELDRIN VALTROSS
MENTAL FORTITUDE: -15% [CRITICAL BUT IMPROVING]
QUEST #1 "RECOVERY OF SELF" - COMPLETED
REWARD CLAIMED: BASIC SYSTEM ACCESS UNLOCKED
Beneath this information, his complete status appeared:
PHYSICAL STRENGTH: 8/100
AGILITY: 12/100
ENDURANCE: 7/100
INTELLIGENCE: 23/100
MENTAL FORTITUDE: -15/100 [CRITICAL BUT IMPROVING]
MAGICAL AFFINITY: UNKNOWN [LOCKED]
SPECIAL ABILITY: SHADOW MANIPULATION [LOCKED]
Before Eldrin could fully process this information, a new window materialized with another soft chime:
NEW QUEST AVAILABLE QUEST #2: "MORNING WALK"
DESCRIPTION:
Physical activity is essential for mental recovery. Moderate exercise stimulates neurochemical production that counteracts trauma responses.
OBJECTIVE: Exit your room and complete a short walk within the mansion grounds TARGET: Minimum distance 100 paces
REWARD: Mental Fortitude +5%, Pain Relief Duration Extended FAILURE CONSEQUENCE: Mental Fortitude -3%, System Restriction
TIME LIMIT: 1 Hour
ACCEPT QUEST?
[YES] [NO]
Eldrin stared at the floating text with a mixture of confusion and apprehension. The memory of yesterday's punishment when he had attempted to reject the system's integration remained painfully fresh. His right hand tingled at the mere thought of refusing, phantom pain ghosting through his nerves as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience.
With reluctance born of pragmatism rather than willingness, he mentally selected [YES].
The display minimized immediately, retreating to the corner of his vision as a small shadow icon, leaving Eldrin alone with the daunting task before him. Walking—something so simple that he had taken it for granted his entire life—now seemed as challenging as scaling the highest mountain in the kingdom.
His body felt alien to him, disconnected from his will. When he attempted to swing his legs over the side of the bed, they moved sluggishly, as though underwater. Whether this weakness stemmed from five days of unconsciousness, inadequate nutrition, or the emotional trauma itself was impossible to determine.
"I can't," he whispered to the empty room, then flinched, expecting punishment for his defeatism. When no pain came, he gathered what little courage remained to him and tried again.
Using the ornate bedpost as leverage, Eldrin pulled himself into a standing position, his legs trembling violently beneath him. The marble floor felt ice-cold against his bare feet, the sensation almost shocking in its normalcy. He stood there for several moments, swaying slightly, reacquainting himself with his own body's balance.
The distance to the door might as well have been a thousand leagues. Eldrin assessed the room with tactical consideration that would have made his father proud. The bed extended halfway to his destination, offering support along its length. Beyond that stood the chair Sera had occupied, and then a small writing desk potential islands of stability in the sea of open floor.
Step by painstaking step, Eldrin made his way along the perimeter of the bed, his knuckles white as he gripped the wooden frame for support. When he reached the bed's end, he paused, gathering strength for the next challenge the gap between bed and chair.
With a deep breath, he pushed away from the safety of the bed frame and lunged toward the chair. For one terrifying moment, he thought he would fall, his legs buckling beneath him. Somehow, he managed to catch himself on the chair's high back, a small victory that brought unexpected tears to his eyes.
Using the chair as an improvised walking aid, he pushed it slowly across the polished floor, each movement requiring concentrated effort. The door seemed to recede rather than approach, taunting him with its distance, but Eldrin persevered with grim determination.
Just as he finally reached the door, it swung open unexpectedly, nearly causing him to lose his precarious balance. Standing in the doorway, resplendent in the ceremonial robes of the Temple of Vaelis, was the priest who had tended to him the previous day.
For a long moment, they stared at each other in mutual surprise the boy clinging to a chair for dear life, and the priest with one hand still raised to knock on the now-open door. The silence stretched uncomfortably until the priest's expression shifted from shock to gentle concern.
"Young Lord Valtross," he said, recovering his composure with practiced ease. "I had not expected to find you... mobile." His eyes took in the chair, Eldrin's white-knuckled grip, and the determination etched on the boy's pale face. "Particularly not after your condition yesterday. This is quite a remarkable recovery."
Eldrin struggled to place the man. His memories of the previous day remained fragmented, clouded by trauma and grief. He recalled a soothing voice, hands that glowed with gentle blue-gold light, words of prayer—but the priest's name and face remained frustratingly beyond his grasp.
"I..." Eldrin began, then stopped, unsure what to say. How could he explain that an invisible system only he could see had essentially blackmailed him into this activity? "I needed to move," he finished lamely.
The priest's head tilted slightly, his expression thoughtful. "Indeed? And where were you planning to go, if I might ask? Sneaking away while your caretaker fetches your breakfast seems an unusual choice for the young master of this house."
There was no accusation in the priest's tone, only gentle curiosity, but Eldrin felt his cheeks warm with something approximating shame. Put so plainly, his actions did seem suspicious, though his intentions had been dictated by the system rather than any desire for deception.
"I wasn't sneaking," Eldrin protested weakly. "I just... I thought I should try to walk. To get stronger." The half-truth felt awkward on his tongue, but it was better than attempting to explain the inexplicable.
"Ah," the priest nodded sagely. "Physical exertion can indeed be beneficial for healing the spirit as well as the body. The Goddess Vaelis teaches that movement is a celebration of life, even perhaps especially in times of grief." His expression softened further. "Though I must admit, I am somewhat concerned by this sudden change. Yesterday you could barely speak, and today you attempt to walk unaided?"
Eldrin had no good answer for this. His own rapid improvement mystified him as well, though he suspected the strange system now integrated into his being had something to do with it. Instead of attempting an explanation, he opted for simplicity.
"I want to go for a walk," he said quietly, his voice stronger than it had been the day before but still a shadow of its former self. "Just... somewhere that isn't this room."
Understanding dawned in the priest's eyes. "Of course. These walls must feel like a prison after so long confined to them." He considered for a moment, then extended his ceremonial scepter—a slender rod of silver topped with a stylized sunburst that contained a luminous blue crystal at its center.
"Perhaps this might serve you better than that chair," the priest offered. "It is solid silver and has supported me through many a long procession. I believe it will bear your weight adequately for a morning constitutional."
Eldrin looked at the offered implement with surprise. The scepter was clearly a sacred artifact of the Temple, not something to be casually handed to a child as a walking stick. Yet the priest held it out with genuine kindness, seemingly unconcerned about its proper use.
With hesitant fingers, Eldrin reached for the scepter. As his hand closed around the cool metal shaft, the crystal at its peak pulsed once with soft blue light, almost as if in greeting. The weight was perfect heavy enough to feel substantial as support, but not so heavy that his weakened state couldn't manage it.
"Thank you," Eldrin whispered, the simple words carrying more genuine gratitude than any elaborate expression of thanks he had been taught as part of noble etiquette.
The priest smiled, stepping aside to clear the doorway. "Shall we explore these halls together then, young lord? I believe fresh air and movement will do us both good this fine morning."
In the corner of Eldrin's vision, the shadow icon pulsed with what almost seemed like approval. The quest had begun.