You have inflicted irreparable nerve damage to a level 26 burrower. A burrower is brain dead. You have killed a burrower.

Multiple strikes later, the burrower finally died. Its head drooped, and its body sagged, but wrapped around the tree, the creature remained anchored in place.

Sadly, the burrower’s fate did not deter its fellows, and they kept climbing. There were too many to kill before they reached me, but I didn’t let that deter me.

Picking out another target, I unleashed another flurry of astral blades at it.

You have killed a level 29 burrower.

You have killed a level 27 burrower.

Your telepathy has increased to level 41.

I killed a second creature and then a third, but by the time I got around to attacking the fourth, the encroaching horde reached my branch.

A burrower’s large head snaked around the tree trunk and advanced towards me, swaying slightly as it made its way along the branch on which I sheltered. More of its fellows followed in its wake.

I’d drawn as far back as I dared on the bough, and there was nowhere left for me to retreat. My face hardened as I studied my oncoming foes. This is where I make my stand. If I killed the creatures quick and fast, there was still a chance I could survive the encounter.

Summoning a dagger to my right hand, I flung it at the leading creature.

You have injured a level 26 burrower, inflicting psi damage.

My strike did not even give the worm pause, and it kept coming.

I manifested a dagger in my left palm and threw it in nearly the same motion. Then I did the same with my right hand, my arms swinging back and forth in tandem as I attempted to keep an endless series of daggers hurtling towards my foe.

Unfortunately, given the burrower’s swaying motion and the speed of my attacks, more than a few daggers flew off-target, striking either my foe’s body instead of its head or its trailing fellows.

I was just about to adjust my tactics when the lead borrower stopped. It was less than two yards away from me. Raising its body off the bough, the creature stared down at me and opened its gaping maw.

I frowned. What’s it doing now? Is it going to try eating me?

My hand whipped forward, releasing the waiting blade in my right palm.

A level 26 burrower has evaded your attack.

The borrower swayed out of the way, and my dagger sailed harmlessly by. My left hand swung forward, but before I could unleash my next attack, the creature screamed.

An avalanche of sound descended on me.

The borrower’s shriek was not the unfocused scream of rage I’d heard earlier. This shout was a high-pitched and focused squeal aimed squarely at the creature’s target—me.

A burrower has injured you! Your spirit has taken damage. Warning: damage incurred by your spirit cannot be mended until you have been rejoined with your original host.

I staggered backward, slapping my hands to my ears to stop the hurtful sound. But it did no good. My spirit still writhed in the grip of my foe’s piercing scream.

A burrower has injured you! Your spirit has taken damage.

Bloody hells! My foes had a sonic attack of some sort and one that could injure my spirit form. Why didn’t it use it earlier? As devastating as the assault was, I could think of no reason for the creature to hold back until now.

The burrower kept screaming. Its head swaying, the creature kept me pinned in the narrow cone of sound it was unleashing, and by degrees, I felt myself fragmenting under its effects.

A burrower has injured you! Your spirit has taken damage.

I hunched over, cradling my head. At the edge of my vision, I spied another creature close to almost the exact distance as the first. It began to rear up, presumably to unleash its own sonic attack.

The attack must be short-ranged.

Hard on the heels of that realization came another. If I stay here, I will die.

Without considering the matter further, I rolled off my perch and plunged downwards to the forest floor.

~~~

I landed in a heap of twisting, slimy bodies, though I barely noticed as agony lanced through my being.

Wha… where…? how—move! Move! Move!

My thoughts were incoherent, and my mind was dizzy with pain, but one imperative drove me: the need to escape. Amongst the burrowers squirming on the ground, I was in greater danger than I’d been above, but crucially, I wasn’t trapped either.

But you will be if you don’t bloody move right now!

I moved.

Squelching the desire to succumb to pain, I lumbered to my feet. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw heads lifting amongst the bodies surrounding me.

The burrowers were about to scream.

I couldn’t afford to be hit by their sonic attacks again. Diving forward into the coils of soft white flesh before me, I called a psi dagger to hand.

You have evaded a burrower’s attack.

You have evaded a burrower’s attack.

Twin sonic booms shattered the air, but I’d moved in time and dodged them entirely. The creature in front of me curled inwards, trying to wrap its body around me.

I cut at it blindly and sent numbing trails of psi coursing across its surface. Ignoring the creature’s angry hiss, I scrambled over its ample white folds.

More shrieks erupted. I threw myself forward, crawling beneath another wriggling torso.

You have evaded a burrower’s attack. A burrower’s attack has grazed you.

The hurtful howls passed me by. The first narrowly missed me, while the edges of the second caught me, scraping my eardrums raw.

I spun about and stumbled but managed to stay on my feet. Half-weaving, half-staggering, I fled, aiming for the single spot of greenery I spied between the heaving white bodies.

More attacks followed in my wake, but thankfully they fell short. New foes emerged from the ground ahead of me. Most were still too far to be of threat yet, though, and I kept running.

With every step, the pain assailing my mind from my fall faded, and my balance grew steadier. My focus improved. I can do this. Narrowing my gaze, I mapped a path through the creatures.

Six burrowers converged on me.

Drawing on psi, I charmed the closest, then, using its body to shield me, raced past the next few.

A patch of ground ahead of me heaved.

I flung a psi dagger at the spot and, not pausing, cast one-step, leaping over the burrower as it surfaced. The way ahead was clear. Dropping my head, I put all my effort into running.

One way or the other, I planned on getting to the next log cabin.

~~~

Nearly thirty minutes later, I reached the lake.

It had taken me much longer than I’d anticipated, mostly because the initial direction I’d fled had been the wrong one, but once I’d put enough distance between me and my pursuers, I cut a wide arc through the forest to return on course.

En route to the cabin, I had multiple run-ins with more borrowers, but now, more truly understanding their threat—and limitations—I avoided becoming entangled again.

And for all the downsides of not having a body, there was one benefit that served me well: I was tireless. Even after running flat out for half an hour, I felt as if I could go on forever.

At the door to the cabin, I paused, savoring the moment. No burrowers were in sight; I’d left them long behind. I’d done it. I’d passed the first challenge, if with more difficulty than I’d anticipated.

On to the next.

Turning the doorknob, I pushed my way inside. A Game alert dropped into my mind.

Congratulations Michael! You have completed the first test: Power of the Mind. You have gained experience and reached level 69!

Dismissing the Adjudicator’s message, I inspected the room. It was nearly identical to the first, but this time the table lay in the center, and a second door was positioned opposite the entryway of the first.

The way to the second test?

I advanced directly to the table and glanced down. Once more, it held three ability tomes. There was no note this time, though. In its place was something equally interesting: a lesser attribute gem.

The gem alone made completing the first challenge worth it. With a pleased smile, I picked it up.

Lesser attribute gem used. You have gained 1 attribute point.

Next, I turned my attention to the three books, studying their titles. They read: ‘Water Walking,’ ‘Shadow Blink,’ and ‘Levitate.’ This time, all three were subtitled: ‘A basic telekinesis ability tome.’

The first thing that struck me about the books was the pattern I could see forming. In the first challenge, I’d been given a choice between three telepathy abilities, and arguably, the test had been one of my telepathic abilities.

Did that mean the second test would focus on my telekinetic strength? It was a safe assumption that it would.

I glanced out the window at the still and dark lake. The cabin’s second exit faced directly onto the water, and it did not take any great genius to figure out that the second challenge would likely occur in the lake itself.

I rubbed my chin as I considered the three abilities offered to me. If I had to make my choice based purely on the forthcoming test, I would have no hesitation in acquiring water walking. And if not that, then levitate.

But outside of the trial, I could see little use for water walking, and while levitate would come in handier, it was shadow blink that attracted my interest most.

Of the three abilities on offer, it seemed the most combat-focused. If I was interpreting its description correctly, it was an ability that would allow me to move quickly in and out of combat using the surrounding shadows. Such versatility could not be ignored and would be priceless in future battles.

My decision made, I dropped my hand to the tome in question and willed my choice to the Adjudicator.

You have acquired the basic ability: short shadow blink. This mind spell allows the caster to teleport to any living entity within 9 yards, taking your shadows with you. If the caster was hidden when he used the ability, he would remain concealed after jumping to his target, assuming he passes a perception check.

This ability consumes psi and can be upgraded. Its activation time is fast.

You have 20 of 26 Mind ability slots remaining.

I frowned, unsure whether to be pleased or worried by the unexpected manner in which shadow blink functioned.

The ability was limited not by available shadows but by available targets. That made it at one time more versatile—I could use it in even the most well-lit environments—but also more restrictive—I couldn’t use it without a creature to target.

I sighed. For better or worse, my decision had been made, and it was time to move on. Or almost.

Turning my focus inwards, I meditated to recover my lost psi, then reviewed my skill gains from the first test and spent my attribute points.

Your telepathy has increased to level 43. Your telekinesis has increased to level 38. Your meditation has increased to level 43.

Your Mind has increased to rank 28.

Finally, I was ready.

Striding to the next door, I stepped through to see what awaited me in the next challenge.