An Actor's Odyssey: Lost in Another World

"No skills. No direction. And now, no choice but to start over from scratch." Gabriel tilted his head back, staring up at the canopy. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating kaleidoscopic patterns on the ground. "Fine." he said, his voice low but firm. "You want me to adapt? I'll adapt. But I'm doing it my way."

"Don't panic. Don't let it get in your head." Gabriel took another step back, his hand brushing against the rough bark of a nearby tree, feeling the pulse of life in it. He tried to center himself, but his mind raced, the growl still echoing in his ears.

Then, the silence was broken by the faintest rustle, the slightest shift in the air. Gabriel's eyes snapped to the movement, and in the blink of an eye, he saw it—a flash of red eyes between the trees. The shimmer. A flicker of light and shadow that seemed predatory. It was closer than he wished, waiting for him to make a move.

He didn't wait. Without thinking, he turned and bolted, his body moving on pure instinct, every sense heightened. The trees blurred past him as he pushed forward, his heart pounding in his chest, his breath ragged. But as the clearing faded behind him, Gabriel's eyes darted between the trees. The shadows twisted and stretched, resembling clawed hands reaching for him. Sweat poured down his body, but the memory of those eyes burned in his mind, as if they were still watching, waiting.

His foot caught on a root, twisting his ankle as he pitched forward. The ground rose up to meet him, cold and damp, the breath knocked from his lungs in a rush. Pain radiated through his body, but he forced himself to turn, his heart hammering. He scanned the darkness, searching for the pair of eyes that had been fixed on him moments ago. But there was nothing. Only the darkness, staring back. He leaned back against the nearest tree, its bark rough and oddly warm against his palm. The glow of the forest didn't comfort him—it only made him feel more out of place. His head throbbed as he tried to piece together his next move.

He pushed off the tree, his jaw tightening as he scanned the forest. He bit his lips until blood flowed slowly and then he exhaled a slow and consant flow of air. As he would do to calm himself before filming an important scene. Then he breathed in slowly and tried to organize his thoughts. "First, I need to figure out how to earn this Essence."

Scratching his chin, Gabriel began to pace, muttering under his breath. "Skills are my most important weapon, so I need to understand how to get them. Essence must come from doing something... meaningful. Or maybe just something stupid."

Gabriel's eyes swept the forest ground, darting between patches of shadow and faint, dappled light that trickled weakly through the canopy above. Every rustle of leaves made his breath hitch, his pulse quickening as he scanned for movement. Finally, his gaze locked onto a fallen branch, roughly the length of a short sword. He knelt, his fingers brushing over its surface, though his ears stayed tuned to the hushed whispers of the forest around him.

The bark was rough, catching on his skin, and the wood beneath had an odd give to it, almost like muscle under tension. A shiver ran down his spine as he gripped it tighter. Gabriel glanced over his shoulder, his eyes probing the shadows between the trees. Nothing moved, but the oppressive stillness felt like a held breath, as though the forest itself was watching.

"Alright." he muttered, gripping the stick and hefting it experimentally. The weight was awkward—lighter than he expected, but unbalanced. He adjusted his grip, trying to find a sweet spot. "Let's see if practice makes perfect in this place." His voice sounded too loud, even in a whisper, and he winced at the way it seemed to carry in the quiet.

Gabriel stepped into a small clearing, the soft moss underfoot muffling his movements. The air here felt heavier, colder, and the light was even scarcer, filtered through layers of leaves that turned it a sickly green. He held the stick aloft, mimicking the stance of a swordsman, though it was more a patchwork of memories from action movies than any real technique. His first swing was hesitant, slicing through the air with a faint whistle. He winced at the sound, his eyes flicking to the treeline, half-expecting something to leap out of the shadows.

Frowning, he adjusted his stance. His movements felt sluggish, his limbs uncooperative, especially his left foot. He swung again, harder this time, stepping into it with a pivot of his hips. The stick wobbled in his grip, and the force of the motion sent a jolt up his arm. The faint crack of a twig breaking somewhere behind him made him freeze, his heart lurching in his chest.

Gabriel's breath came shallow and quick as he turned his head, scanning the forest. The shadows between the trees seemed to shift, growing deeper, more alive. He gripped the stick tighter, his knuckles whitening as he forced himself to focus.

"Damn it." he hissed under his breath, shaking out his hand. He glanced again at the treeline, his skin prickling with the uneasy sensation of being watched. The clearing felt smaller now, the shadows pressing in closer. For a moment, he considered abandoning the stick entirely and running again, but he clenched his jaw and squared his shoulders. If something was out there, he needed to be ready.

He tried again. And again. The forest echoed with the repetitive swish of the branch and the occasional grunt of effort. Gabriel's movements grew more deliberate, more aggressive, as he fell into a rhythm. But something was off—his body.

His muscles protested with a dull ache that spread quickly into sharp, burning pain. His shoulders felt stiff, his range of motion limited. Every twist of his torso sent an unwelcome reminder of how out of shape he felt. This wasn't the body he remembered. It was weaker, clumsier, with far less stamina than he was used to.

Sweat dripped from his brow, stinging his eyes. His breathing grew ragged, each inhale scraping against his throat like sandpaper. His swings slowed, the stick feeling heavier with every pass.

"Come on." he growled, pushing through the discomfort. He stepped forward, attempting a fluid slash. His footing slipped on the moss, and he stumbled, catching himself with the stick before he hit the ground.

He straightened, panting, and glared at the branch in his hand as if it were the cause of his humiliation. The bark had left his palms raw, and his arms trembled with exhaustion. He clenched his teeth, swinging again with a guttural shout, but the motion was weak, his grip faltering.

After what felt like an eternity—though it had only been thirty minutes—Gabriel let the stick drop to the ground. He bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for air. His shirt clung to his back, soaked with sweat.

"Nothing..." he muttered between breaths, his voice thick with frustration. "Not even a notification."

He straightened slowly, his back protesting the movement, and glared at the stick lying on the ground. With a sharp kick, he sent it tumbling into a patch of glowing mushrooms. The fungi hissed faintly as the branch disturbed them, releasing a faint, iridescent mist that quickly dissipated into the air.

Gabriel wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, smearing sweat and dirt across his face. "Alright!" he said, his voice low and bitter. "So brute force isn't the answer. What a shocker."

He took a moment to steady himself, his eyes scanning the forest with new focus. The glowing sap that pulsed through the trees, the mushrooms that reacted to his touch, the faint hum that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere—it all felt alive, like the forest itself was watching him.

"This place is trying to tell me something," he thought aloud, his voice softer now. "I just need to figure out what."

A flicker of movement drew his gaze—a small, bird-like creature perched on a low branch. Its iridescent feathers shimmered like polished gemstones, and its eyes glowed faintly, studying him with an unnerving intelligence.

Gabriel froze, his breath catching. The bird chirped, a hauntingly beautiful melody that sent shivers down his spine.

"Essence." he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Maybe it's not about effort. Maybe it's about understanding this place."

He took a cautious step toward the creature, his movements slow and deliberate. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears as he extended a hand.

Gabriel's smirk faded as he turned his gaze back to the system screen, the mocking [Eryndor Essence: 0] glaring back at him. Despite the frustration simmering beneath the surface, a spark of determination burned brighter. He would figure this out. He had to figure this out.

"Alright." he muttered, rolling his shoulders and straightening his posture. "If swinging a stick like a madman doesn't work, then it's time to get creative."

The forest around him seemed to hum faintly, as if waiting for his next move. Gabriel took a deep breath and began pacing, his mind racing.

"Maybe it's tied to the environment." he thought aloud. "This place is alive—everything feels connected. Maybe interacting with it is the key."

His eyes landed on the glowing mushrooms he had disturbed earlier. He crouched down, observing them closely. The faint bioluminescent glow pulsed rhythmically, almost like a heartbeat. He reached out hesitantly, brushing his fingers against the soft caps. They hissed again, releasing another puff of shimmering mist.

Nothing.

He sighed and moved on, testing the sap oozing from a nearby tree. It was thick and warm to the touch, glowing faintly as it clung to his fingers. He wiped it on his pants, feeling a bit ridiculous. Still nothing.

Gabriel tried climbing a tree, hoping the higher vantage point might reveal something useful. The bark was slick, and his arms and legs ached as he scrambled up a few feet before slipping back down in a graceless heap. "Great." he muttered, brushing dirt off his clothes. "So, no points for effort, huh?"

He tried listening to the faint hum in the air, closing his eyes and concentrating. He tried tasting a strange fruit that looked like a cross between an apple and a starfish, which left his tongue tingling but yielded no results. He even attempted meditating, sitting cross-legged in the moss and focusing on his breathing.

Still nothing.

As the minutes turned into hours, Gabriel's patience wore thin. His stomach growled, and his limbs ached from exertion. "Come on." he growled, glaring at the empty system screen. "Give me something!"

The forest answered, but not in the way he expected.

A rustling sound came from the underbrush behind him. Gabriel froze, his instincts screaming at him to move. Slowly, he turned, his eyes scanning the shadows.

A pair of glowing yellow eyes stared back at him.

The creature emerged from the foliage—a goblin, hunched and snarling, its skin a sickly green and its teeth jagged like broken glass. It held a crude dagger, the blade chipped and rusted but no less menacing.

Gabriel's breath hitched, his heart hammering in his chest as the goblin's red eyes locked onto him with a predatory gleam. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me." he muttered under his breath, the words barely escaping his lips before the goblin lunged.

The creature's movements were fast, a blur of green skin and sharp teeth. Gabriel barely had time to react, stumbling backward as his instincts screamed at him to escape. His hand shot out, fingers wrapping around a discarded stick he had carelessly dropped earlier.

With a desperate grunt, he swung it toward the goblin, his arm moving in a wide arc. The stick connected with the goblin's arm, but it was a weak blow—his grip was too loose, his swing too slow. The stick cracked against the creature's bony arm, but the goblin barely flinched. Instead, it hissed, its lips curling back in a snarl, and with a quick, vicious swipe, it drew a small, jagged dagger from its belt.

Gabriel's eyes widened as the goblin closed the distance, moving faster than he could track. It was upon him in an instant, its dagger flashing in the air. Before he could even react, the blade was aimed directly at his chest, the goblin's twisted grin widening.

Everything seemed to slow down in that moment. Gabriel's heart pounded in his ears, his instincts screaming at him to move. He twisted his torso to the side, the dagger missing its mark by inches. But not enough. The sharp point of the blade sank into his left shoulder with a sickening shlick, the pain searing through him like fire.

Gabriel's vision blurred with the intensity of the pain, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to give in. He staggered back, his shoulder burning with the fresh wound, and swung the stick again, this time with more force. The goblin dodged with a step back, but Gabriel's desperation fueled his movements. He swung again, horizontally, the stick connecting with the goblin's head this time, sending it stumbling backward.

The goblin screeched, a high-pitched, furious sound, clutching its head with both hands. But it wasn't done. It recovered in a heartbeat, its eyes flashing with rage. It lunged again, faster this time, its dagger raised high.

Gabriel's mind raced. He couldn't let the creature get another hit in. He was already injured, his body screaming for him to stop. But there was no stopping now. His survival instincts kicked in, and he dropped the stick, grabbing a sharp rock from the ground. As the goblin closed in, he swung the rock with all his remaining strength, catching the creature across the face.

The goblin howled in pain, its dagger slipping from its hand as it staggered back, blood dripping from its nose. Gabriel's pulse thundered in his ears, the pain in his shoulder still gnawing at him, but he didn't wait. He didn't give the goblin a chance to recover. He moved in, throwing his weight into a wild tackle, his hands grasping at the creature's throat.

The goblin struggled, its claws raking at his arms, but Gabriel held on, his vision narrowing as the adrenaline coursed through him. With one final, desperate twist, he slammed the goblin's head into the ground, the creature's body going limp in his grasp.

Gabriel collapsed next to it, his chest heaving, his shoulder screaming with pain. He stared at the lifeless goblin, his heart still racing, his breath ragged. For a moment, all he could do was lie there, the world spinning around him.

[+10 Eryndor Essence]

Gabriel's eyes widened as the notification appeared in his vision. He stared at it, his breathing ragged.

"That's it?" Gabriel whispered, his voice shaking, the weight of the realization slowly sinking in. "Essence comes from… killing?"

His eyes drifted to the goblin's lifeless form, a thick knot of dread twisting in his stomach. The victory he had felt moments ago—the surge of power, the rush of Essence—was now tainted by the sickening reality of what he had just done. The creature, once a threat, now lay in a pool of its own blood, its body unnaturally still.

Gabriel's gaze lingered on the [10] glowing on the system screen, the number mocking him, flashing with an unsettling brightness. He swallowed hard, his throat dry, and released the jagged rock from his trembling grip, its rough surface slick with the goblin's blood.

He stared at the creature, his chest tightening with each shallow breath. The metallic tang of blood filled his nostrils, sharp and foreign, mingling with the earthy scent of the forest. It was an assault on his senses, the very air around him thick with the aftermath of violence. His stomach churned, and his breath caught in his throat as the reality of the kill settled in.

"I... I killed it." His voice cracked, barely above a whisper, as he repeated the words, as if saying them out loud might make them less real. His eyes were fixed on the greenish blood pooling around the goblin's body, the viscous liquid seeping into the earth, staining the forest floor. A cold shiver ran down his spine, and his stomach twisted painfully. "Oh, God... I killed it."

The thrill of survival, of victory, now felt hollow. The adrenaline that had propelled him through the fight was quickly replaced by a gnawing emptiness, a quiet horror that he couldn't shake. His heart pounded, each beat like a drum in his ears, as the weight of his actions crushed down on him.

Gabriel's legs trembled beneath him as he slowly pushed himself up from the ground, his body aching from the battle. The pain in his shoulder flared, sending a jolt of sharp agony through his body, reminding him of the price he had paid. His hand instinctively shot up to clutch at the wound, his breath hitching as the pain intensified.

Then it hit him—he wasn't just hurt physically. His mind was reeling, too. His stomach lurched, and a wave of nausea surged up from deep within him. The horror of what he had done, the reality of taking a life—even one as monstrous as the goblin—was too much. He turned away, bile rising in his throat, his body shaking uncontrollably.

The thought sent a shiver down his spine. He glanced at his hands, stained faintly green where the goblin's blood had splattered. His fingers trembled as he clenched them into fists, trying to steady himself.

A sharp chime rang in his head, and the system screen appeared before him.

[+10 Eryndor Essence]

The glowing notification felt like a cruel joke. His breath hitched, and his panic boiled over. "Essence?" he spat, his voice cracking. "That's what this was for? That's why—" He cut himself off, his throat tightening.

Gabriel's knees buckled, and he slid down the tree trunk, his head falling into his hands. "What the hell is this place?" he whispered, his voice barely audible. He clenched his jaw, fighting back the tears stinging his eyes.

The forest was silent now, save for the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze. The absence of sound felt deafening, as if the world itself was holding its breath, waiting to see what he would do next.

Gabriel's gaze flicked back to the goblin's body, and a wave of nausea hit him again. He didn't want to look, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. The reality of what he had done was sinking in, heavy and suffocating.

"I didn't have a choice," he muttered, his voice shaking. "It was me or it." He repeated the words like a mantra, trying to convince himself, trying to drown out the memory of the goblin's snarls, the sound of the stick cracking against its skull, the sickening thud as it hit the ground.

But the fear didn't go away.

Gabriel forced himself to his feet, his legs unsteady. He wiped his hands on his pants, smearing the green stain but not erasing it. His heart was still racing, his breaths uneven, but he couldn't stay here. Not with that body. Not with the silence.

He took a shaky step forward, then another, his eyes darting to every shadow, every rustling leaf. His mind screamed at him to run, to get as far away as possible, but his body felt too heavy, too sluggish. The system screen lingered in the corner of his vision, the number [10] glowing faintly. It felt wrong, like a mockery of what he had just done.

Gabriel clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. "If this is how this world works..." His voice broke, and he swallowed hard, his throat dry. "Then I don't know if I can do this." The words hung in the air, swallowed by the forest. He shook his head, forcing himself to keep moving, one unsteady step at a time.