ShadowBound: The Need For Power

Deciding to now move through the forest and gather whatever resources he could while the darkness still favored him, Liam and Smoke moved through the shadows with quiet efficiency.

The two of them slipped between the trees almost soundlessly, their presence blending naturally with the dimness beneath the canopy. With the moonlight barely reaching the forest floor and the early signs of dawn still distant, the environment was perfect for someone like Liam.

Entering deeper into the forest once again, the very first thing Liam focused on was finding better plants for his wound. Even though the treatment he had applied beside the stream earlier was far more effective than the rushed swamp mixture, he knew it wouldn’t last forever. If he intended to survive the remaining days of the assessment without risking infection or worsening the injury, he needed to keep gathering medicinal materials whenever the opportunity presented itself.

And surprisingly enough, luck seemed to be on his side that morning.

Within less than twenty minutes of searching, Liam managed to find several of the exact broad-leafed plants and bitter roots he needed growing beneath the shadows of a cluster of tilted trees. Their Myst signatures were faint but steady, carrying the same natural restorative properties he had sensed before.

Without wasting time, Liam crouched beside the plants and carefully harvested only what he needed. He avoided ripping them out carelessly, choosing instead to cut away usable sections while leaving the roots intact whenever possible. It was slower, but it prevented him from damaging the plants completely in case he needed to return later.

Once he had gathered enough, Liam tore a massive dark-green leaf from a nearby plant and folded it inward several times. Using a thin vine stripped from a hanging root, he tied the edges together tightly, creating a crude makeshift pouch to hold the medicinal ingredients.

It wasn’t pretty.

But it worked.

While Liam focused on that, he had already sent Smoke ahead with a different task.

The shadow wolf moved silently through the forest in search of wildlife large enough to provide meat without drawing unnecessary attention. Liam had specifically ordered him to avoid fighting demons unless absolutely necessary. The last thing he wanted right now was another pointless battle wasting Myst and time.

Once Liam secured the medicinal ingredients properly, he began making his way back toward the river.