Legacy of the forgotten soul

Kael woke with the first light of dawn streaming through the window. He felt refreshed and more determined than ever. Today marked the beginning of his week-long training in the forest. He knew that mastering his newfound abilities and enhancing his battle skills were crucial for his future at the academy.

As he stretched and prepared to get out of bed, he heard the familiar, voice of the Water Goddess in his mind. "Good morning, Kael! Did you sleep well?

Kael chuckled, appreciating her light-hearted tone. "Surprisingly, yes. I feel ready for whatever challenges come my way today. How was your sleep?"

The Water Goddess in a carefree tone said. "I don't sleep like you do, Kael."

Kael raised an eyebrow. "So, do you sleep at all?"

The Water Goddess continued in the same carefree tone, "Not really. When you sleep, I simply return to my dimension and wait for you to wake up, and if I want, I can just control my consciousness to put my body in a sleep like state sense I don't require normal bodily sustenance to survive"

Kael pondered for a moment, then asked, "Can you eat or do other things like that?"

 "No, Kael. I don't have a physical body, so I don't need to eat, drink, or perform other bodily functions like you do. My existence is purely spiritual and elemental."

Kael felt a little sad for her, realizing that her existence was so different from his own. It seemed lonely not to experience the simple pleasures that he often took for granted.

Pushing these thoughts aside, Kael got out of bed and began preparing for the day ahead. He donned some low-ranked enchanted armor that he had acquired from the Draylen estate. The armor wasn't fancy, but it got the job done. He hadn't worn it before because he didn't plan on attracting the attention of any beasts, and the armor wasn't particularly stealthy.

He packed a small bag with essential supplies, including food and water, knowing that he would be spending long hours in the forest. Stepping outside, Kael was greeted by the crisp morning air, which filled his lungs and invigorated his senses. The forest, with its towering trees and dense foliage, awaited him. He made his way to the designated training ground, a secluded area deep within the woods, where he would be put to the test.

As Kael walked through the forest, the Water Goddess struck up a conversation. "So, Kael, what brought you to this forest? And how did you stumble onto my essence?"

Kael began to reflect on how he would answer her questions. The first question was straightforward enough. He had come to the forest to train and prepare for the academy. But the second question was more complicated. He had come to the forest specifically looking for the Water Goddess's essence based on information from his past life. He couldn't outright say that without revealing too much. As Kael mulled over his answers, he decided to start with the first question.

"Well, I came to the forest to train," Kael began. "I need to hone my skills and prepare for the academy."

As he was about to answer the second question, a sudden, low growl interrupted his thoughts. Kael felt a mix of relief and tension. Relief because he wouldn't have to lie to the Water Goddess, but tension because he knew a beast was close.

Kael crouched low and moved stealthily towards the source of the growl. As he approached, he carefully examined the beast from a distance. Its mana fluctuations were clear to him, a sign of a common beast from the fourth rank.

The beast was a large, muscular creature covered in dark, matted fur. Its eyes glowed with an eerie, greenish light, and sharp fangs protruded from its powerful jaws. Kael recognized it as a Shadowfang, a common yet dangerous beast known for its agility and ferocity. He was somewhat familiar with this beast from the game in his past life, where Shadowfangs were mob enemies he often farmed.

Kael was surprised at how fluently he could feel the mana emanating from the beast. After absorbing the Water Goddess's essence, he had become much more sensitive to the arcane essence of the world. It was an unexpected but welcome enhancement to his abilities.

Kael took a deep breath, feeling confident in his ability to take down the beast. He reached into his spatial ring and drew out his sword. With a focused mind, he summoned water daggers from thin air, each one gleaming with sharp precision.

While still hidden, Kael launched the water daggers at the Shadowfang's heels, rendering its legs useless. The Shadowfang let out a pained growl as it stumbled and fell to the ground.

Empowering himself with mana, Kael felt a surge of energy course through his body. He lunged forward and, with a single, powerful strike, stabbed the beast in the head, killing it instantly.

Kael stood over the fallen beast, a mix of surprise and satisfaction washing over him. He hadn't expected the battle to be so easy. The way mana flowed through his body so effortlessly took him by surprise as well. From Kael's memories, the older he got, the harder it had been for him to channel mana. This newfound sensitivity and ease with mana were promising signs for his future training.

"Well done, Kael That was to be expected from someone with my essence flowing through you." the Water Goddess declared with an arrogant and prideful tone.

Kael couldn't help but smile at her prideful tone. "Thank you, Water Goddess," he said, emphasizing the title playfully. But after a short moment something came to kael mind "But you know, calling you 'Water Goddess' all the time is quite tiring. Do you have a name I can use instead?"

The Water Goddess laughed, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "I suppose it would be tiring. Very well, Kael, you may call me Nereia."

Kael chuckled. "Nereia, huh? That's a nice name choice."

"Of course it is," Nereia replied with a hint of arrogance. "It suits someone of my stature."

Kael shook his head, amused by her confidence. "Alright, Neria, lets extract the core essence from the beast and keep on beast hunting?"