An Actor's Odyssey: Lost in Another World

Gabriel's hands wouldn't stop shaking. No matter how tightly he clenched them, no matter how many times he rubbed his palms against his thighs, the trembling wouldn't go away. His breaths came shallow and uneven, catching in his throat like he'd forgotten how to breathe.

The dagger—if you could even call it that—lay in the dirt at his feet, its crude, jagged edge smeared with streaks of dark green. He couldn't bring himself to pick it up. The sight of it made his stomach churn.

His gaze drifted to the body. The goblin lay crumpled on the mossy ground, its small, wiry frame twisted at an unnatural angle. The gash in its chest was jagged, messy, like a wound made by someone who didn't know what they were doing. The goblin's yellow eyes were wide open, staring blankly at nothing.

Gabriel's chest tightened, and he turned away, but it didn't help. The image was burned into his mind. He could still feel the weight of the goblin against him, the desperate way it had clawed at his arm as he shoved the blade into its chest. He could still hear the wet, gurgling sound it had made as it fell.

His legs gave out, and he sank to his knees, the damp moss soaking into his pants. He pressed his hands to his face, but all he could smell was the goblin's blood—a sharp, metallic stench mixed with something sour and earthy. He gagged, doubling over, his shoulders shaking.

A low, broken sound escaped his throat, somewhere between a sob and a gasp. He didn't want to cry. He didn't want to feel anything. But his body betrayed him, the tears hot and silent as they slid down his cheeks.

He wiped at his face with the back of his hand, but the blood was still there, sticky and smeared across his skin. "Pathetic. I'm pathetic!" His breath hitched as he stared at his hands, the green stains vivid against his pale fingers. He scrubbed at them frantically, rubbing them against his pants, the moss, anything to get it off. But the stains wouldn't fade.

Gabriel's vision blurred as he stared at the ground, his mind a whirlwind of fragmented thoughts. He hadn't meant to kill it. But he needed to. If it wasn't done, then it would be his blood staining the goblin's hands. "I gotta be less of a coward..."He muttered between his grited teeth. The forest was quiet now. Too quiet. He sat there, his knees pressed into the damp moss, his shoulders slumped forward like the weight of the world had been draped across his back.

The tears that had burned in his eyes earlier were gone now, replaced by a dull, hollow sensation that spread through his chest. His breathing slowed, his body trembling less with each passing second. A creeping, icy numbness that crawled over him like frost. It was the kind of cold that didn't sting but deadened, like he'd been plunged into freezing water and had stopped feeling the pain.

He sat there, unmoving, staring blankly at the moss-covered ground. The goblin's body lay just a few feet away, but he didn't look at it. He couldn't. The image of its lifeless yellow eyes was already etched into his mind. Somewhere deep inside, a voice whispered for him to break—to scream, to cry, to let the guilt and fear consume him. But he pushed it down, shoved it into the same dark corner where he'd buried the rest of his emotions since arriving in this strange place.

His hands curled into fists, his nails digging into his palms. "Not now." he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible. His jaw tightened as he forced himself to take a deep breath, then another, his chest rising and falling in a mechanical rhythm. "You can't fall apart now."

The faint hum of the system interrupted his thoughts, and the glowing interface blinked into view in front of him. 

[Eryndor Essence: 10]

His eyes scanned the screen, his thoughts sluggish and scattered, until something new caught his attention.

[Skill Shop]

Available Skills:

Survivor's Instinct (10 Essence): Heightens your senses, allowing you to detect danger more effectively.

Basic Blade Proficiency (15 Essence): Grants foundational skill with bladed weapons.

Forager's Eye (10 Essence): Highlights edible plants and useful resources in the environment.

Steady Hands (20 Essence): Reduces trembling and improves precision in delicate tasks.

Gabriel's gaze lingered on the glowing list, his lips pressed into a thin line. He read the descriptions again and again, the words blurring together as his mind raced with ideas, possibilities and many diferent scenarios he could use each one of those things.

The goblin's body was still there, just on the edge of his vision. Yet, turning his head to the side, he pretended as if the goblin has never been there in the first place. He was going to focus solely on that list in front of him. He squinted at the first option on the list.

Survivor's Instinct.

His finger hovered over the glowing text, trembling slightly, but he didn't press it right away. He swallowed hard, his throat dry and scratchy. "Practical." he murmured, his voice rasping in the silence. He rubbed his hands together absently, a mechanical motion, his fingers brushing over the green smears on his palms. "It's… it's useful. I won't get ambushed again. That's what matters."

His breathing hitched, but he forced it steady, inhaling through his nose and exhaling through clenched teeth. He tried to focus on the screen, to drown out the persistent images in his head.

Gabriel blinked hard, shaking his head as if to dislodge the memories. His finger hovered for a moment longer, then pressed the option. The screen flashed, and the glowing text dissolved into a single line of confirmation:

[Skill Acquired: Survivor's Instinct.]

He exhaled shakily, his hand dropping to his side. The faint hum of the system faded, leaving him alone again in the oppressive stillness of the forest. Gabriel flexed his fingers, staring at them for a moment as if expecting to feel something different, but there was nothing. Suddenly, a creep went through Gabriel's spine and his neck turned to watch his back. In the midst of the trees, two pairs of eyes glowed with a red phosphorescent light—faint, but unmistakable.They locked onto him, unblinking and unrelenting. The shadows shifted, and the creature stepped forward, its massive body emerging from within the shadows.

The beast's fur was a patchwork of deep grays and blacks, sleek and wild. Its shoulders rippled with muscle beneath its matted coat, and its head was low. The wolf's breath came in heavy puffs, clouds of mist rising in the cold, damp atmosphere. Its lips curled back, exposing sharp, yellowed teeth. Its claws scraped against the earth as it shifted its weight.

Gabriel's grip tightened on the stick he'd picked up earlier, his knuckles white, his palms slick with sweat despite the chill in the air. His heart hammered in his chest, and every instinct screamed at him to run. But his legs felt like lead, rooted to the mossy ground.

The wolf took a slow step forward, its glowing eyes never leaving his. Its growl deepened, a primal, bone-chilling sound that made Gabriel's stomach twist.

"Shit." Gabriel muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible. His legs trembled as he forced himself to stay still, to keep from bolting. He knew, deep down, that if he ran, it would be over. The wolf crouched lower, its muscles coiling like a spring. Gabriel's breath hitched as he saw the subtle shift in its posture. It was going to attack.

And he wasn't ready. The wolf lunged and Gabriel barely had time to react. He stumbled back, swinging the stick wildly in front of him. The crude weapon connected with the side of the wolf's head with a dull sound, and the beast let out a sharp scream, veering off course. It hit the ground hard, but it recovered almost instantly, its claws tearing into the mossy earth as it scrambled to its feet.

Gabriel didn't wait. He swung again, this time aiming for its body, but the wolf was faster. It ducked low, its jaws snapping shut around the stick with a sickening crunch. The force of the bite ripped the weapon from Gabriel's hands, and he stumbled backward, nearly losing his balance.

The wolf spat the broken stick aside and snarled, its glowing eyes burning with rage. Gabriel's chest heaved as he scrambled for something—anything—to defend himself. His hands closed around a jagged rock half-buried in the dirt, and he yanked it free, his fingers scraping against the rough edges.

The wolf lunged again, its claws outstretched. Gabriel threw himself to the side, the beast's claws raking through the air inches from his face. He hit the ground hard, the rock still clutched in his hand. Pain shot through his right shoulder, but he ignored it, rolling onto his back just in time to see the wolf spinning toward him. It pounced, its massive body looming over him, and Gabriel reacted on instinct.

He swung the rock upward with all his strength.

The jagged edge connected with the wolf's jaw, and the beast howled in pain, its head emitted the sound of bones breaking. Blood splattered across Gabriel's face, hot and metallic, but he didn't stop. He swung again, this time aiming for the side of its head.

The second blow sent the wolf staggering, its massive frame crashing into the ground beside him. Gabriel scrambled to his feet, his chest heaving, his vision blurred by sweat and blood.

The wolf growled weakly, its body trembling as it tried to rise. Gabriel's grip tightened on the rock, his knuckles aching from the effort. He stepped forward, raising the makeshift weapon above his head, his breath coming in ragged gasps. But the wolf didn't attack again. It met his gaze, its glowing eyes dimming, and let out a low, pitiful whine. Then, with a final, labored breath, it collapsed, its body going still. Gabriel stood there, frozen, the rock still raised in his trembling hand. His chest heaved as he stared down at the lifeless body, his mind racing.

His arm dropped to his side, the rock slipping from his fingers and landing on the ground. His legs buckled, and he sank to his knees, the adrenaline draining from his body all at once. The forest was silent again, save for the sound of his ragged breathing. Gabriel wiped at his face with the back of his hand, smearing blood, sweat, and dirt across his skin. His chest heaved, every breath sharp and ragged, his body aching from the fight. His stomach twisted violently, bile rising in his throat. For a moment, he thought he might throw up.

But he didn't.

Instead, he stared down at the wolf's body sprawled across the ground. The glowing light had faded from its eyes, leaving them dull and lifeless. Blood pooled beneath its head, dark and viscous, seeping into the earth.

His hands still trembled, his fingers aching from how tightly he had gripped the rock. He flexed them slowly, as if testing whether they still worked, and let out a shaky breath.

He had survived. Again. Somehow.

Gabriel's gaze drifted to the forest beyond, the shadows between the towering trees seeming darker now, heavier. The faint hum of insects and rustling leaves had returned, indifferent to what had just happened. He swallowed hard, his throat dry, and pushed himself to his feet, his legs unsteady beneath him. The world felt heavier now, as if the fight had drained more than just his strength. He glanced at the wolf one last time, his jaw tightening.

"One step at a time." he muttered to himself, his voice hoarse. It was a lie, but it was the only thing keeping him upright.

[Enemy Killed: Grey Wolf]

[Eryndor Essence: 50]

The system's notification flickered in his peripheral vision, but only now did his eyes focus on it. He hadn't called it up. He didn't need to.

The system's interface flickered before him, the glowing text cutting through the gloom of the forest. He hadn't called it up—it had appeared on its own, as if the system could sense his hesitation, his need for direction. The notification faded, replaced by a new menu.

[Skill Shop]

The options unfurled before him, simple and practical, far removed from the flashy abilities he had once relied on in his old life. Gabriel's eyes scanned the list, each choice flickering faintly, waiting for him to decide.

Basic Weapon Mastery - 50 Essence

Endurance Training - 50 Essence

Elemental Affinity (Fire) - 50 Essence

His gaze lingered on the first option, Basic Weapon Mastery. The memory of the fight replayed in his mind—the stick in his hands, the clumsy, desperate swings, the sheer luck that had saved him. He had barely managed to survive, and he knew that luck wouldn't hold out forever. If he was going to make it in this world, he needed more than instinct. He needed precision, control.

Then his eyes drifted to Endurance Training. His muscles still ached, his body heavy and sluggish from the fight. Every breath burned in his lungs, a reminder of how quickly exhaustion had overtaken him. His body wasn't ready for this world—not yet. If he could push past his physical limits, if he could train himself to last longer in a fight, it might mean the difference between life and death.

Finally, he glanced at Elemental Affinity (Fire). The idea of wielding fire was… tempting. His fingers twitched at the thought of that kind of power, the ability to keep enemies at a distance, to burn through obstacles in his way. But it felt distant, almost unattainable. What good was fire if he couldn't even survive the next fight?

Gabriel rubbed a hand over his face, smearing dirt and sweat across his skin. The choices felt overwhelming, but he couldn't afford to hesitate. The forest around him was vast and uncaring, the shadows between the trees seeming to watch him, waiting for him to make a mistake.

He clenched his fists, his knuckles white. "Focus," he muttered under his breath. "Start small. Survive first."

His finger hovered over Basic Weapon Mastery.

It felt like the right choice. He didn't need fire or stamina—not yet. He needed to be able to fight. To survive.

He tapped the option.

The screen flashed, the glowing text dissolving into a single line of confirmation:

[Skill Acquired: Basic Weapon Mastery.]

Gabriel exhaled, his shoulders slumping slightly as the interface faded. He didn't feel stronger. He didn't feel safer. But the choice was made, and for now, that was enough.

The forest loomed ahead, dark and endless, the faint glow of blue sap casting eerie shadows on the mossy ground. Gabriel tightened his grip on the crude stick still in his hand. It wasn't much, but it was all he had.

So he walked, the weight of the wolf's death still heavy on his shoulders, the glowing notification of his "reward" burning in his mind.

The forest closed in around him, silent and watchful. Somewhere in the distance, a low growl rumbled, faint but unmistakable.

Gabriel froze, his breath catching in his throat. His grip tightened on the stick, his heart pounding.

And then, from the shadows ahead, another pair of glowing eyes appeared.