I sat cross-legged near the smoldering remains of the campfire, the flickering embers casting erratic shadows across my face. The night was unnervingly quiet. The usual chorus of chirping insects and distant animal calls was conspicuously absent, as if the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to unfold.

  From my spatial ring, I retrieved the shaman's staff, its unsettling weight settling into my hands. The damn thing thrummed faintly with dormant energy, its gnarled wood cool against my skin but unnervingly heavy for its size. Exira rested comfortably in my other hand, its faint hum a reassuring counterpoint to the staff’s eerie aura.

  "Alright, you creepy piece of shit," I muttered, angling the staff to study it more closely. "Let’s see what secrets you’re hiding."

  I examined it for several long minutes, scrutinizing every detail. The shaft itself was surprisingly unremarkable—sturdy but devoid of visible runes or carvings to suggest enchantments, a vessel, plain and simple, a means to an end. The real focus was the grotesque skull mounted at the top.

  The skull was the real focus of this twisted artifact. Its design was grotesque—four eye sockets that seemed to bore into me, horns curling upward like jagged thorns. The surface was aged and cracked, but faint etchings of runic symbols could be seen carved into the bone, pulsing ever so slightly with latent energy.

  It was as if the damn thing was alive, watching me as I scrutinized it.

  "No idea what kind of monster’s skull this is…are they a part of the dungeon or and echo…" I murmured, running a thumb along one of the horns. The texture was rough, almost brittle, but there was a sinister vitality beneath the surface.

  meow

  A soft meow broke my concentration. The kitten had padded over, her tiny head tilted as she eyed the staff with clear suspicion.

  "Yeah, I'm wondering the same thing," I said, smirking as I reached out to scratch the kitten's chin.

  The kitten swatted at the staff with her paw, letting out a low growl before quickly retreating behind my arm.

  "Relax, furball," I chuckled, though a shiver ran down my spine. "It’s long dead. Probably…"

  Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and tried to center myself. This was going to be my first attempt at channeling the blood essence and connecting with the artifact, and I had no damn clue what to expect.

  "Alright," I muttered under my breath. "Here goes nothing."

  The moment I reached out to the blood essence within the skull, the air around me seemed to shift. I sucked in a sharp breath as my senses expanded, and suddenly it felt like I was submerged in something vast—an ocean of blood that stretched infinitely in every direction.

  "Fuck," I whispered, my voice trembling as I struggled to adjust to the overwhelming sensation. The essence wasn't chaotic or violent, but its sheer immensity was staggering. It was like standing on the edge of an abyss, staring into endless darkness.

  I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to push forward. I focused on channeling a small portion of the energy into the skull. As the connection formed, the world around me faded, replaced by a void filled with glowing spheres of blood.

  "Shit..." I gasped, my voice echoing in the emptiness. My eyes darted around, taking in the surreal sight. Each sphere pulsed faintly, representing a source of blood. They seemed to call out to me, their rhythms syncing with the pounding of my heart.

  The largest sphere floated directly in front of me—it had to be the deer's carcass from earlier. Behind me, a smaller, flickering sphere hovered, its faint glow unmistakable. A smile tugged at my lips.

  "Ohh, that’s little furball" I murmured, amused despite the unsettling surroundings.

  A soft meow echoed in the void, and I glanced back at the tiny sphere, reassured by its presence. At least I wasn't completely alone in this bizarre space.

  "Let's see if this thing actually works," I muttered, steadying my thoughts.

  Reaching out with my will, I focused on the blood within the deer's sphere. The process wasn't immediate; there was resistance, like trying to push against a heavy door that didn't want to budge. But since the deer was already dead, the resistance was weak, almost negligible.

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  "Interesting..." I mused, pushing harder. Slowly, I felt the blood being siphoned into the skull, drop by drop. The sensation was strange—like pulling a thread loose from fabric, each strand unraveling with delicate tension.

  As the last of the blood drained into the skull, the deer's sphere flickered and dimmed before vanishing entirely. The void around me began to fade, and with a blink, I was back beside the campfire.

  The kitten let out an impatient meow, climbing into my lap and pawing at my chest.

  "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," I said, stroking the kitten absently. "Just... trying to figure out what the hell I just did."

  I glanced over at the deer's carcass. Its body was pale and shriveled, every drop of blood drained from it. The sight sent a chill down my spine.

  "Cool" I murmured, standing up and holding the staff at arm's length. I could feel the blood swirling within the skull now, its weight slightly heavier than before. There was a subtle warmth to it, like holding a vessel filled with warm liquid.

  But then the realization hit me. "Wait a damn minute," I muttered, frowning. "All that, and it's barely four or five percent full?"

  “That should be around 5L or more blood it stored in there….damn it can store a lot”

  The artifact had immense potential and also trying to extract blood from a living subject would be exponentially harder. The resistance I'd felt earlier would be stronger, possibly dangerous.

  Setting the staff aside for now, I turned back to the deer's carcass. I pulled out my bone knife and set about butchering the animal. The blade slid through the flesh smoothly, and I worked quickly, not wanting to leave the remains out for too long. The scent of fresh blood filled the air, metallic and sharp.

  "Don't even think about it," I warned, casting a glance at the kitten, who was inching closer, eyes wide and nose twitching. "You're not getting raw scraps."

  She let out a plaintive mrrp, sitting back on its haunches with a disappointed flick of its tail.

  "Yeah, yeah, life's tough," I muttered, focusing back on my task.

  Once I'd collected everything usable—the meat, organs, fat—I gathered the bones and other remains into a pile. Pulling a small vial of oil from my pack, I doused the heap before tossing it into the fire. The flames roared briefly, consuming the remnants and sending sparks dancing into the night sky.

  "Well, that's that," I said, wiping my hands on a rag. No point in attracting scavengers—or worse.

  "Don't worry furball. We'll figure this thing out together. You're stuck with me now, after all."

  She let out an approving meow, hopping onto my shoulder and curling around my neck like a fluffy scarf.

  "Freeloader," I said, though warmth spread through my chest. Having the little furball around was... nice. A reminder that not everything in this place was out to kill me.

  With the night deepening around us, I glanced up at the canopy. Stars peeked through the gaps, tiny pinpricks of light in the darkness.

  …

  I crouched near the fire, turning the skewer carefully. The meat was nearly done, its surface crisping to a perfect golden brown. The smell was heavenly, making my stomach rumble—a pleasant distraction from the day's chaos.

  "Almost there," I said, glancing at the kitten. Perched on a nearby log, she watched me with laser focus, tail twitching like a metronome.

  "Meow!" She replied indignantly, as if accusing me of deliberate cruelty.

  "Don't give me that attitude," I chuckled, rolling my eyes. "Good food takes time."

  Finally satisfied, I pulled the skewer off the fire and placed it onto a makeshift tray I'd cobbled together earlier. The juices sizzled, and the aroma wafted up, making my mouth water.

  "Alright, here we go," I said, grabbing my bone knife. I sliced off a portion of the meat, the blade cutting through tender flesh with ease. Each cut released more of the savory scent into the air.

  I diced the chunk into small pieces and placed it in front of the kitten. "There," I said, leaning back. "Happy now?"

  It sniffed the meat eagerly, let out a satisfied meow, and dove in, chomping with wild enthusiasm.

  "You're ridiculous," I muttered, a faint smile tugging at my lips. Watching it eat with such gusto was oddly satisfying.

  As the kitten devoured its meal, I turned my attention back to the remaining meat. An idea struck me, and I reached into my spatial ring, pulling out a small pouch of berries I'd collected before entering this hellhole.

  The little fruits were still fresh, their colors vibrant under the firelight. I popped one into my mouth. A burst of tart sweetness hit my tongue, sharp but refreshing.

  "Not bad," I mused.

  Grabbing a handful, I crushed them in my palm, the juices staining my fingers red. Carefully, I drizzled the mixture over the meat on my plate, letting the juices soak in.

  "Meow!"

  I glanced up to see the kitten staring at me, mouth slightly open, a piece of meat dangling from its jaws.

  "Oh, now you want this too?" I said, arching an eyebrow.

  She let out an insistent "Meow meow," ears flattening slightly in what I could only interpret as annoyance.

  "Alright, alright," I laughed, holding up my hands. "You win. "

  I grabbed another handful of berries, this time removing the seeds and setting them aside. Once seedless, I crushed them and drizzled the juice over the kitten's remaining meat.

  "Happy now?" I asked, placing the berry-coated morsel in front of it.

  The kitten sniffed, let out a delighted mrrp, and resumed eating with renewed vigor. Her tail wagged behind her like a tiny flag, swishing back and forth.

  "Gods, you're a handful," I said, shaking my head as I took a bite of my own food.

  We ate in comfortable silence, the crackling fire providing a soothing backdrop. Every now and then, the kitten would look up, a satisfied meow rumbling, as if to say, "Good job, human."

  The fire crackled, sending up sparks that danced among the stars. The night air was cool but not biting, wrapping around us like a gentle embrace.

  "Guess we're a team now," I murmured, feeling the kitten's purring deepen as she drifted into sleep.

  I closed my eyes, letting the sounds of the night wash over me. For the first time in a long while, I felt... at peace.

  HOUSE OF END DISCORD

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