Parker had high hopes for their third day. Waking up before sunrise, they made their way to a community gym that they'd seen during the night market. It was free to use if they didn't bother anyone or need help.

  The gym itself was nothing impressive and it was nothing like the EA facilities on the nexus. There were only a few pieces of actual equipment: a pair of bench presses, some kind of weighted pull bars attached to an overhang, and a vertical lift. Other than that, there were three racks of free weights, resistance bands of various bright colors, and a few softshell mats.

  After stretching and warming up their arms, Parker did what seemed like a light, easy workout compared to the physical evaluation. They didn't even attempt the workout equipment. Instead, just used the free weights and the resistance bands.

  Still, Parker overestimated themselves. When they were wrapping up their early morning workout, other Gamblers had started to arrive. Parker shuffled back to the Alta building to get out of their way. With each step toward their room, Parker felt a growing discomfort.

  It settled into their bones and became a dull ache in their arms and legs. All movements down to a crawl and it took twice as long as it should've to get back to the Alta building and four times as long to climb the stairs to the third floor where Parker stayed. Even though they had gotten an early start, the morning was completely lost.

  Laying on the futon back in their room, Parker rearranged their high hopes for the day into modest, achievable hopes. Rather than exploring and investigating the island for clues about the challenge, Parker settled on something more tangible. They would try out the one offering they knew they could get their hands on: the seedpods.

  Even if Balan had seemed so sure that the seedpods wouldn't work, Parker was not convinced. There were whispers of the island's energy in those small, rough balls full of tightly packed seedlings.

  After a light lunch, Parker left most of their gear behind. They made sure to take the short sword and arm guard in case trouble came up. They had the dagger to harvest the seedpods and two canvas pouches to store them. Everything else was left behind and locked in the room.

  It was just a quick hike to the hill, a bit of careful gathering, and then another hike up to the Air Altar. It wouldn't take more than a few hours and then Parker would be back in town. Hopefully with at least a single copper coin.

  Since Parker had cleared the tuftbulb patch the other day, they had to hike closer to the trees at the side of the rolling hill to find a new patch. Birds cawed unseen inside the dark woods and something scurried through the underbrush.

  The sounds kept Parker on their toes as they delicately severed the threads holding the seedpod to the flower. Even with the soreness aching their limbs, Parker took the time to make sure none of the plants were harmed. The first few seedpods nearly slipped from their fingers, but eventually, Parker had six of the seedpods successfully gathered into a canvas pouch.

  The whole time, Parker was expecting a goblin to burst out of the nearby tree line and attack. Even though it was midday, the canopy of the trees was thick enough that Parker's sun-adjusted eyes couldn't see more than a few paces in.

  For all Parker knew, a goblin hunting party was preparing to ambush them as soon as they turned their back on the tree line. Distracted by the thought, Parker's dagger slipped and cut open the seventh seedpod. It was their first harvesting blunder of the day.

  If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  Parker frowned as they felt the energy leaking out of the seedpod. The frown shifted to curiosity as the energy wafted toward the woods instead of the sky. It was a gradual waft, the energy seemed to hang in the air waiting for them to follow. Parker sheathed the dagger next to the short sword and followed the flow of energy toward the tree line. All the while, telling themselves they wouldn't go too far. They just wanted to know where the energy was going.

  At the tree line, Parker stopped. Not to go back or to second guess the decision, but to let their eyes adjust to the dim light of the woods. When Parker stopped, they could feel that the energy wasn't just leaking into the woods like it had leaked to the sky from the other seedpods they had damaged. Now, it was being pulled like metal filings toward a magnet. The energy lightly pulsed from the seedpod started to drift upward... Parker's eyes followed the pulse but lost it for a moment as it shifted direction. The energy was suddenly yanked deeper into the woods.

  Waiting did not help much, but at least Parker could see the difference between trees, underbrush, and some kind of game trail. As the last of the energy leaked out of the seedpod, Parker tried to track where it was leading. A little off-center from the game trail, Parker could see a flicker of blueish-white light.

  That had to be it, Parker told themselves as they followed the trail toward the light. After a few dozen steps, the light wasn't getting any closer. Parker drew a seedpod from the canvas pouch on their belt and offered a silent apology as they squeezed on the shell.

  The seedpod cracked in their palm and Parker released the pressure. The energy started to leak out. It was still leading toward the blueish-silver light, but now it was moving faster.

  With each step, Parker tried to figure out if they were getting closer or if the light was moving away. It seemed to be a bit of both. From a distance, the light had seemed steady. Now it bobbed and weaved as if it was alive. The light grew and faded in soft pulses like a warning beacon.

  As the second seedpod's energy dried out, the light stopped moving. Parker had planned on sacrificing a third seedpod to this mystery. The energy flow had let them follow the path safely. Now, the light's change in motion made them reconsider.

  When the light started to move again, Parker felt an intense pressure as something focused on them. Something felt terribly wrong in that moment, like Parker's own energy was being pulled in by a magnet.

  It reminded Parker of when an uncle had tried to teach them to hunt. Parker had been obscured by the soft flow of energy from the seedpod, but now it was like they were upwind from a predator.

  The light pulsed brighter as the core grew larger. It illuminated the woods around it. Parker scurried a few steps backward so that they were far enough from the core that they stayed in the dark. The light displacement revealed what was at the core of the blueish-white light.

  A series of pebble-sized silver crystals floated around a footlong column of blue-white crystal that hovered above the underbrush. Unlike the seedpod or the tuftbulbs that released energy, that crystal was absorbing it from everything inside its light.

  The trees grew pale, brush withered, and the dirt dried out. It was leaving a void of energy behind in its wake. Parker continued to back away carefully, but the crystal was following them now. Parker thought of how the other Gamblers would deal with it. With fire, arrows, or blades, but Parker couldn't bring themselves to draw a weapon. Instead, they cracked another seedpod and threw it to the brush as they ran.

  Parker assumed the crystal would be more interested in the seedpod than them, but they did not look back to confirm that. They ran the game trail as fast as they could. Heart beating against their ribcage like it was trying to break free. The low light of the woods was a blur as Parker focused only on the distant light of the tree line. It grew closer with each panicked step.

  As they broke clear of the tree line, Parker collapsed into the side of the hill and finally looked back. Expecting to see the crystal descend on them, their breath caught mid-throat. Only the dark of the woods stretched out before them.

  Finally, a soft breath filled their lungs. Parker would need more information before trying to go into the woods again. When Parker thought about collecting more seedpods for the offering, their hands could not stop shaking. Four would have to be enough for today. Even if it wasn't enough for the pure Blessing of Wind.