Damien awoke to the soothing sound of rain. The downpour outside could be heard pattering down onto the hard surfaces in the village. The atmospheric noise was relaxing to wake up to and as Damien was rolling out of bed he felt extremely at ease.

Damien was at an impasse at what to do today, though he would likely wait for the storm to die down before deciding. Glancing out the window in his room, Damien saw the thick rolling clouds extend out to the skyline. The village itself was a ghost town, having no protection against the elements excluding the roofs of the various buildings and houses. Absorbed in the ambiance, Damien was finally inspired to spend the day studying and doing research. He had several books stacked on the floor next to the minimalist desk that he had used to learn writing a few months back. Most of the books were focused on alchemy but many were supplemental materials, with a bestiary, several books on botany, herbology books, and a survival book splayed around. Damien swore he had more books but realized it was likely his mom had taken a few books back for her current project.

After spending several hours studying the magical effects of various objects, Damien decided he was going to head out. The downpour had not ceased, but he had a cloak which was dangling from the back of his doorknob, though it was a flimsy material. What convinced him this was a good idea was that he found several herbs in one of the books that he spotted in the nearby forest which related to water. He wanted to try to create a hydrophobic solution that he could coat the cloak in. He was first going to search for a hydros flower, which looked like a hydrangea with a deep royal blue color, and a burst blossom. Both of these were known for their water attracting properties. The hydros roots pulled a large amount of water causing mud to form underneath the flower while the burst blossom pulled water into its round petals which filled like balloons before they popped spilling a small torrent of water and seeds. When the petals and roots combined, the ensuing paste was known for its drying properties as it absorbed water and then could be rolled off like clay. The best part was that the sludge could be squeezed and heated dry to be reused. He had previously seen the two flowers near the outer portion of the forest so that was where he was heading.

Damien was also going to search for a siccus flower. This flower actually repelled water, the only reason it could survive was its dependence on fae energy. He had previously seen both the hydros and burst bloom near the edge of the forest, but if the siccus was in the forest it would be deeper due to the amount of fae energy needed to sustain it.

Damien was unsure how deep he was willing to head into the forest. It had been quite some time since the incident and no one had seen any dangerous wildlife since, and most animals would have been further from the village due to the slimes having taken up residence in the plains further north. Damien decided to be on the cautious side, recognizing the rash nature of his decision and was not planning on making many more. He reached under his bed and grabbed the two horns he had stashed under there oh so long ago. He then grabbed the satchel on the floor next to his door, donned his cloak, and headed out.

Damien quickly regretted his decision. As he approached the forest, his clothes slowly became damp, rain seeping through the fairly thin cloak. He became drenched and was extremely irritated. Although he wanted to turn back, Damien stubbornly persisted, believing it to be a net negative if he turned back now.

After exploring the outskirts of the forest for a few minutes, he spotted a burst blossom. It was quite easy to see considering the voluminous shape the petals were in. Damien quickly approached it, and using one of the horns, poked a small hole to let the water drain from the five petals he managed to gather. The dull dark purple color of the leaves held a certain majesty that deeply appealed to Damien.

He then searched for the hydros flower. The search was fairly long and dull, only made bearable due to the trees above blocking a large amount of the rain. When Damien finally spotted the flower he impatiently rushed over and didn't realize his mistake until he sunk knee-deep in mud. The attracted water from the heavy rainfall caused the dirt to turn into a thick liquid. He glumly reached out for the flower, staying relatively focused on his goal. He carefully scooped the mud out from under the flower, being careful to avoid damaging the roots. He then let most the mud slip between his fingers allowing him to wipe off what remained. He then stored the whole flower inside his satchel alongside the petals from the burst blossom and headed deeper into the forest.

As Damien headed deeper into the forest he became anxious. He could hear the blood pumping in his ears despite the loud rainfall surrounding him. As he continued forward his legs became weak and shaky, causing him to slip and land on his hand and knees. Damien’s mind flashed back to the goring he experienced facing the small horned rabbit. Then he remembered being hunted by the wolf and escaping by the skin of his teeth. Minutes passed as Damien sat on the ground trembling, paralyzed by fear. He tried to will himself to do something, anything, but his body refused to obey him.

He felt exhausted and scared, the shivering was physically tiring, he was soaked, and he couldn't escape the idea that animals may be waiting to attack him. His will fought his fear. He wouldn't succumb, he refused.

‘I won't let fear control me’ Damien promised himself. He resisted his fear. His mind pushed and pushed. Finally, something gave.

Damien immediately stood. He was still scared and shaken, barely resisting the urge to huddle up, but some part of his fear was gone, a presence left him. Something about his fear before was unnatural. This terrified Damien. Something out here was messing with his mind, and he didn’t wanna find out what it was.