Eli's mind was in a haze, he couldn't make out what was happening around him, but he instinctively knew he was on the brink of Death. He was trapped in his own body, completely devoid of strength, as it screamed in agony.

"Odd." A voice of confusion echoed in his head. Eli faintly wondered where the voice came from, or was it his own?

While in this delirious state, he started to feel a faint warmth spread through his body. After a few more seconds he was able to feel it again, and then again. Each pulse became more distinct until it turned into a symphony, playing in tandem with his heart. Soon, his mind started to clear as the pain slowly receded.

*ding*

-1 HP

You Have Gained

+1 Vitality

ERROR! Host Essence Unstable!

-0.5 HP/Minute

Eli jerked up at the notification, almost falling off the table. Sweat was running down his body as he gasped for air, he looked around in a panic as adrenaline coursed through his veins.

"This is... different." The familiar voice brought his focus to the creature standing next to him. Eli jumped at the presence and rolled off the table and onto his feet. The table now between the two.

"What the fuck did you do to me?" He screamed in fear.

The creature just stared at him in obvious interest, cackling in laughter. As Eli watched the creature, he noticed that it looked a bit different. Does it look a bit... fatter? Not only that, but its skin started to change, the blue becoming richer and dominant. "What's happening?"

"So many surprises!" The creature then broke its stare as it started to inspect itself, still cackling.

Eli felt rage build inside him, "Answer me god damn it!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. The creature then looked back at him as it tilted it head.

"I fixed your problem." it spoke in a much too delighted tone. "And it seems you are fixing mine."

Eli looked confused as he brought up his Status Menu once again.

Name Insignificant Race Insignificant Level 0 Class Revenant Titles Progenitor Age 0% Lifespan 219 Days Health 16/30 Mana 10/10 Attributes Unspent Points 0 Strength 1 Dexterity 1 Vitality 1 Wisdom 1 Charisma 1 Will 1 Affinities None Resistances Pain 2 Essence Drain 1 Active Skills Inspect 1 Passive Skills Dark Sight 3 Death's Curse MAX Unwilling Aura 1

Eli took all the changes in. After a minute he found there were three main problems. The first was he now had a Class that he didn't choose, and the fact that he had just "died" to attain it disturbed him greatly.

That led to the second problem, the Curse. When he first read it, he thought he was completely doomed, however after doing some quick math he realized he got 2 and a half months of Lifespan for every point of Vitality. He had gotten 2 in the last hour alone and was sure he'd gain additional points every time he leveled up. Not to mention Vitality might not be the only way to increase it, and curses were generally curable. All in all, it was a problem, but not an immediate one.

The real issue was the Unwilling Aura, he couldn't seem to control it. He had barely put any thought into it and he already could think of countless problems with healing everything around you, including your enemies.

Eli looked back at the error messages showing how it had mutated and started to think over possible explanations. He started to theorize that the Essence Core, which he seemed to have damaged, is what holds everything that his Status Menu reflects. He had gained a new skill, but the Core couldn't contain it and it started to leak out, figuratively speaking. This caused the mutation and the reason why it become a weaker version that's also an aura.

As for why his Curse didn't do something similar, he thought perhaps it was attached to the Unwilling Aura itself. The ability didn't seem to use mana, so it seemed possible that it used his lifeforce as fuel instead.

But if that was the case, that meant it wasn't a true curse. But it also opens the door to new solutions. He started to think of the possibilities.

*ding*

You Have Gained

Unwilling Aura Lv. 2

Anything Affected Regenerates 0.2 HP/s

Range: 11 meters

Fuck! Eli immediately swore. It increases range too? He dismissed the windows again and started to watch the creature admire itself again. Its skin was continuing to transform into a deeper blue as it started to look less like a horrifying monster and more like a very large, but still slender human.

Eli had calmed himself down significantly at this point, but he still needed answers. "Explain how I’m alive, and what this Revenant class is."

The creature now satisfied with his transformation, waved towards the dilapidated chair one again. "Sit!" Eli walked around the table and once again sat down, waiting for answers.

"A simple trick." The creature started to speak. "Separate the Essence from the Body and Connect it again."

Eli raised his brow at the explanation. That doesn't sound simple at all. He thought to himself.

"There are many shortcuts to different goals." The creature started to tap its head with a single finger. "You just have to Understand." It then brought the same finger towards his forehead, mimicking the action. "Now you explain, so I may Understand."

Eli squinted in confusion. "Explain what?" he asked.

His response visibly annoyed the creature. It brought its face closer to his. "How did you survive the Essence Drain?" It hissed.

Eli felt something was wrong with this situation. He quickly thought back on what the creature could be looking for. The only thing that stood out was the fact he somehow deleveled. Then it struck him, his Vitality was still 1, but he was still gaining the benefits of gaining those stats. Something was wrong here that he didn't understand. Something that the creature knew, but more importantly something that it wanted.

Giving your interrogator what they want is a quick way to die. He knew he'd have to tread very lightly here.

Eli took a deep breath, "Let's make a deal." he proposed as he watched for any reaction from the creature.

"Speak!" The reply betrayed no emotion.

"I will tell you how I survived the Essence Drain from the Deathshroom, but afterwards I want your help. I want your protection and all the knowledge you have of this place until I can survive on my own." He laid out his demands.

The creature stood motionless as it watched him. Eli just continued to stare back, waiting for it to respond. After a minute passed it nodded. "Acceptable." Eli started to smile before the creature's face turned menacing for the first time. "Trust repaid with Protection. Betrayal repaid with Death!" It threatened before it moved backwards and stood to its full height. "Explain!" it demanded.

Eli felt his heart race as he started to speak. "Like you said earlier, it's a simple trick." Eli could see a small flash of green light flicker in the creature's eyes. "The Deathshroom can only interact with and drain creatures with Dark Essence. Specifically, the Dark Affinity in the Essence." Eli started to explain.

"How?" Eli was starting to get used it its shortened form of communication at this point and understood what it was asking.

He tried to give a confident grin. "It's like any other creature, it just wants to eat what's tasty. But there's one condition..." he drew out the line as if throwing a hook. "You have to give it what it wants!" He revealed.

"The reason it devours everything is because the victim instinctively resists. Just like if you put yourself in the way of a hungry beast and its meal. However, if you simply allow it to eat it will just go for what it wants, which is your Dark Affinity. But once it's done eating it loses its ability to interact with you." Eli hoped his pitch sounded plausable.

The creature then stepped onto the table before crouching on all fours. "You will assist!"

"Assist with what?" He asked cautiously, unsure if the creature was laying a trap.

"To attain Level 0!" It shouted, annoyed at his ignorance.

"Why would you risk your life for that? What's so important about Level 0?" He tried to fish for more information.

The creature's started to cackle once again. "You do not know what you have found!" It crawled off the table to stand above him. "It is a Path!" The creature was practically twitching in excitement.

"You're not answering my question! What is a Path?" Eli shouted in annoyance.

"I will show you!" The creature disappeared from the room as he heard its voice echo in his head. "Stay!"

Eli stood in place unsure of what to do. He took stock of his body once again before noticing he was now at full health. How is he so much stronger than me at level 1? he wondered.

It only took a minute before the creature appeared back in the room. It crawled on top of the table again before it held out a closed hand in front of him, its face unable to contain its excitement. "Shall we begin?"

The creature slowly opened its hand to reveal a Dark Deathshroom.