Kael didn't sleep that night. The monster's howl had echoed through the trees like a curse, and he knew—this was only the beginning. Whatever power was hidden in that mine had done more than give him strength. It had awakened something ancient… and angry.
So Kael prepared.
At sunrise, he cleared a space behind the house, near the edge of the mine's opening. There, using enchanted stone from deep below and a few glowing crystals still warm with energy, he began to build. Brick by enchanted brick, Kael crafted a magic forge, one that pulsed with a low hum of power. Flames danced in unnatural colors—blue, purple, gold—and even ordinary iron glowed like molten stars inside it.
With the forge complete, Kael began his upgrades.
A pickaxe reinforced with shimmersteel, light as wood but strong as diamond.
A blade etched with runes that cut clean through enchanted bark.
And armor—layered leather, glowing thread, crystal cores over the heart.
But tools weren't enough. The monster wasn't the only threat. The forest itself had begun to change. Trees shifted when his back was turned. Small creatures with glowing eyes watched from the branches. Something else was out there. Or somethings.
Kael turned to the land.
He rigged traps:
• Thin tripwires woven from spider-silk, connected to rune-activated shock runes.
• Hollowed tree stumps filled with fire dust that exploded on impact.
• Carved stone statues around his house that lit up when danger approached.
And all the while, he returned to the mine. Deeper, darker, more dangerous with every step.
Kael didn't know what was coming. But when it did, he'd be ready. Or as ready as anyone could be.