A loud noise echoed throughout the entire forest, like a deep rumble tearing its way up from the earth's core. The animals around them scattered in panic, the cracking of branches adding even more tension to the air.
Maia looked around anxiously.
"What's happening?"
Lucien fixed his gaze in the direction of the cave.
"There might be experiments being done inside. Creatures are usually transformed in caves like this."
Aryel whispered while holding her breath:
"Do you think they might have noticed us?"
Kael shook his head.
"We've suppressed our magic as much as we could. I don't think they sensed us."
Lucien took a small step forward, his voice low.
"We need to go inside and take a look. If Nathan were here, this would be way easier…"
Maia swallowed hard, gripping her bag tightly to hide her trembling hands.
"A–are we all going in?"
Lucien needed to make the right decision, not the fastest one. If he took everyone inside, could he really protect them if things went wrong? Aryel and Kael could fight for themselves… but Maia?
The thought of Maia not being able to use her full strength yet made his chest tighten.
He considered splitting into pairs—maybe that would be safer. As scenarios spun through his mind, Aryel's voice snapped him back to reality.
"I think someone is coming this way. I can feel the magic of three people approaching."
Maia gulped.
"Our magic is already suppressed… If they haven't sensed us yet… wouldn't it be better to stay hidden and ambush them?"
Lucien paused for a moment, then nodded.
"You're right. They're already here. We follow Maia's plan."
Kael quickly pulled Maia toward a different clump of bushes.
"Let's hide over here."
Maia could only nod. She tried so hard not to show her fear — yet she was the only one who couldn't fully fight back. The weight of that reality pressed down on her like something heavy and suffocating.
Aryel and Lucien moved to the opposite side, squeezing into the shadows of the thick brush. They were so close that their breaths blended in the tight space between them.
Aryel realized her heart was racing, terrified Lucien could hear every frantic beat.
It's just because I'm scared… It has to be, she thought, clinging to that idea as they waited.
A few minutes later, footsteps approached — steady and confident. Lucien's shoulders tensed. Aryel held her breath.
Three figures appeared in the clearing. Two looked like regular magic-users… but the last one A single glance set him apart.
When the dim light hit his dark brown hair, fiery red streaks glimmered like embers in the shadows. Broad shoulders, a domineering posture, and a deep burgundy coat gave him a powerful silhouette. His amber eyes scanned the surroundings, and suddenly the air itself felt heavier — as if his hidden rage seeped into the atmosphere.
Maia's face drained of all color the moment she saw him.
Her lips trembled, her breathing became uneven—cold sweat slid from her temples. Her body shook so faintly that only someone watching closely would notice.
Kael did notice. His chest tightened with worry as his eyes fell on her. But he couldn't speak — even a whisper could doom them all.
So he did the only thing he could—he took her hand and squeezed it gently.
A silent "I'm right here."
Lucien, on the other hand, froze the second he felt the man's magic aura. It was overwhelming, suffocating—like an invisible pressure crushing the air around them. It rivaled that of a high-level guardian.
Fighting someone like him now…would be the same as signing their death warrants.
Aryel couldn't comprehend how a single person's aura could be this threatening. Who is he? How many people like him exist? Her thoughts spun uncontrollably.
The three men spoke. The amber-eyed one — Zarek — said in a cold voice:
"The experiments are going well. Make sure the newly transformed creature is fully tamed. If it becomes hard to control, it will cause trouble. Remember, a tiny mistake… and you'll end up like the test subjects yourselves."
His threatening tone drained the color from the other men's faces.
"Y-yes, Lord Zarek. Don't worry."
But then, Zarek suddenly stiffened. He tilted his head, amber eyes narrowing as he scanned the trees.
"Hm… it feels like there's a little insect roaming around here. Do you sense it too?"
The other two immediately shifted into defensive stances.
Zarek began walking toward the area where Kael and Maia were hiding.
Lucien and Aryel exchanged a panicked glance.
They didn't need words to communicate—Maia could no longer suppress her magic. Fear leaked out of her as raw energy.
They were exposed. There was no time left to hide.
Aryel summoned two ice spears in a flash and hurled them toward the other two men. The spears struck their shoulders; they screamed in pain just as frost crept up their legs. In seconds, both were frozen solid.
Zarek didn't even flinch.
He continued toward Maia and Kael… step by step.
Kael's heart pounded. There was no reaction from Maia — she was frozen in fear.
Why wasn't she moving? Why now?
He had seen her scared before — but never like this. Lucien and Aryel exploded from their hiding place, sprinting toward the two. There was no choice anymore —they had to fight.
Lucien didn't hesitate and drew his sword. When he saw that Aryel was barely able to keep the two men frozen as the ice began to crack, he rushed forward. With a single strike, he plunged his sword into the first man's heart, then immediately turned and did the same to the other.
Aryel stared at Lucien, stunned. She hadn't expected him to act so fast and decisively.
There was no way to finish this fight without killing… but these men weren't transformed creatures; they were human.
Right then, Zarek turned his head and looked directly at them.
"Well, well… looks like we have uninvited guests,"
he said, his gaze locking on Lucien—there was a disturbing excitement in his voice.
"White hair, blue eyes, and a sword… You must be the guardian who killed our transformed creatures in the cave."
In the blink of an eye, Zarek appeared right in front of them. That speed… it defied logic. There had been a great distance between them just a second ago.
Aryel and Lucien both instinctively stepped back and took defensive stances.
Lucien tried to speak calmly:
"Yes, I killed them. I see the news travels quickly to you."
Zarek burst into a terrifying laugh that echoed throughout the forest. A cold, threatening smile curled onto his lips.
"Do you know how much bounty has been placed on your head? Every Blackthorn member is after you… but here you are, right in front of me. I'm truly lucky."
The twisted smile on his face was darker than anything a human should be able to display.
"Oh, but unfortunately Morvax wants me to bring you alive. What a shame… Killing you would've been such a delight."
He tilted his head slightly, a chilling gleam in his eyes.
"But thankfully, I can kill the girl behind you. Ice magic… nothing I can't handle."
His eyes slid to Aryel, and his smile widened in a disturbing way.
"Oh, you're the girl from Kelm village, aren't you? One of the students who ruined Drax's plan. Wow… I'm really lucky today. And I don't need to take you alive."
Aryel narrowed her eyes, her voice cold.
"You're not taking anyone from here. You don't really expect us to just surrender, do you?"
Zarek laughed again, mocking and sharp like a knife.
"You're adorable, sweetheart. Your confidence is admirable, but if you can't even sense the difference in power… this fight is already over."
At that moment, thick black magic surged around Zarek. The energy twisted through the air and within seconds transformed into large, dark serpents.
Zarek lifted his arm, and the serpents shot toward Lucien and Aryel.
Lucien swung his sword to slice through them, but every time the blade cut, the dark shapes simply reformed instantly in the air.
Aryel attacked with shards of ice; the serpents shattered but immediately regenerated without even a moment's pause.
The dark snakes multiplied and formed a tightening circle around them. The oppressive darkness seemed to squeeze closer with every second.
Aryel switched to her earth powers, trying to trap them; the ground rose and sealed over the serpents—
but the dark creatures seeped through the soil like smoke and emerged again without any effect.
Zarek watched them calmly with his hands behind his back, head tilted, eyes filled with the cold delight of a predator toying with its prey.
Aryel turned quickly to Lucien.
"Use your magic. Not too much… just enough so I can awaken my light."
Lucien's eyes widened in surprise. But they had no other option.
"What if you can't? What if it doesn't work this time?"
Aryel's look was unwavering.
"Do we have another choice? We're already at a disadvantage. At least Maia and Kael won't be noticed. We just need to stall him until Griffine gets here."
Lucien lowered his head slightly.
"You're right. Give me your hand."
Aryel clasped her hand into his, their fingers intertwining. The magic between them quivered instantly.
Zarek laughed out loud.
"Oh, how adorable… young lovers! Separating you two will be so much fun."
Lucien ignored him completely. He concentrated all his dark energy into his hand.
As soon as the darkness pulsed into Aryel's palm, she felt that familiar sensation— the one that nudged her sealed light awake.
She drew a deep breath… and tried to summon her light powers.
When she opened her eyes, she looked at Lucien—a spark of excitement glowing in her gaze. It had worked.
A powerful burst of light exploded around them. The serpents of darkness vanished instantly, unable to escape its radiance.
Zarek's face twisted with sudden tension.
"What did you just do?"
Fury flooded into his eyes; his gaze sharpened like a blade.
His lips twitched with anger.
"I think I've had enough fun. It's time to get serious. That girl is a huge threat to us. If I don't take care of her early, she's going to give us a lot of trouble."
Zarek's aura suddenly surged; his intent was crystal clear now. With a single leap, he erased the distance between them and appeared right in front of them.
Aryel and Lucien were still holding hands. Lucien reflexively gathered his dark powers once more.
Zarek was close enough to strike—every second mattered. Aryel summoned her light again simultaneously.
The rising light magic dazed Zarek, but it wasn't nearly enough to defeat him.
Zarek lashed out with rage-filled magic.
Aryel and Lucien were thrown in opposite directions. The earth slammed into them mercilessly; Aryel's breath was cut off instantly.
When she hit the ground, she groaned in pain—the blow had been brutal.
And summoning light twice in such a short time had left her body incredibly weak.
Zarek wasted no time. He raised his hands and sent his snakes of darkness at Aryel again.
Aryel couldn't move. Her muscles ached, her breath came in sharp, broken bursts. She had no strength left to dodge.
The black serpents coiled around her one by one. They wrapped her body and began draining her magic.
Her light faded rapidly, like warmth pulled straight from her veins.
Lucien dragged himself across the dirt toward her.
His hand trembled, his breath rough and ragged. He pulled out his dagger and tried to cut the snakes, but the dark shapes reformed every time they were sliced apart.
He was helpless. And that feeling… It was the same crushing helplessness he felt when his family was killed.
Being unable to do anything… watching someone he cared about being taken away right before his eyes… every piece of pain he had ever felt gathered into one moment.
A dark spark ignited in Lucien's eyes. Power surged violently inside him. There was no other choice.
Just as he was about to unleash his dark energy, he noticed something in his peripheral vision—the snakes were burning.
Dark shapes writhed in flames, disintegrating and turning to ash before they could reform. Lucien turned his head in shock.
Kael had stepped out of hiding. Phoenix flames burst brightly around him, the fire consuming the serpents without harming Aryel.
The flames clung to the dark magic, flickering like they were fading—then erupting brighter.
When Zarek saw Kael, he nearly foamed with fury.
"Why are you sticking your nose into my business? You could have stayed hidden in that little hole of yours."
Kael narrowed his eyes, breathing heavier.
"How could I just hide when my friends are like this?"
Without another word, he launched his flaming arrows directly at Zarek. He dodged the first with ease… but then suddenly stopped.
The flames didn't die. The phoenix fire licked through the air and leapt onto Zarek's cloak.
The dark red fabric caught fire instantly, curling and crumbling away into ash. Zarek stumbled back, ripping the burning cloth off himself.
"Hah… so you're using Phoenix flames. What a nuisance…"
His eyes now held a wild, predatory threat. Lucien quickly leaned over Aryel to check her condition. He placed his hand on her shoulder, holding his breath as he listened— When he realized Aryel was still breathing, the tightness in his chest loosened.
He exhaled shakily, relief washing through him. Meanwhile, a fierce clash had broken out between Kael and Zarek.
Every time Zarek's dark power touched the phoenix fire, it crackled and burned away.
The dark figures melted inside the flames and disappeared, unable to reform.
Zarek had not expected such resilience. Phoenix flames were persistent and destructive—an enormous disadvantage for him.
As Kael continued attacking, the anger on Zarek's face shifted into caution.
He needed to regain control of the situation.
He suddenly retreated and gathered a heavy mass of dark magic into his hands. The transformed creatures in the cave… He would control them with his magic and summon them here. That way, he could overwhelm them with sheer numbers and take back the advantage.
His shoulders rose and fell rapidly; his breathing had grown heavy. This battle had cost him more magic power than he expected. He couldn't drag this out any longer.
The transformed creatures burst out of the cave and charged toward them. The ground trembled; Lucien and Kael flinched instinctively.
Then came a deep, rumbling roar—the familiar, vibrating sound of their footsteps rushing closer.
Kael immediately looked toward where Maia was.Lucien and Aryel were exhausted…
and now Kael's magic was nearly depleted too. They had no magic left to fight these creatures.
Kael turned to Lucien, trying to keep his voice steady:
"Can you still fight?"
Lucien carried Aryel to a spot he hoped was safe, then gripped his sword and stood beside Kael.
The transformed creatures quickly surrounded them. Each step they took shook the earth with a heavy, ominous pressure.
Kael drew his sword as well. His magic was completely gone now.
But they both knew: They had to stay standing. There was no room to retreat. No time to run.
They had to fight—for Maia, Aryel… and for each other.
Zarek, taking advantage of the chaos, slipped away from the battlefield.
He chose to simply watch—they would fall eventually anyway. The only thing that mattered to him was capturing Lucien alive.
Without realizing it, he headed right toward where Maia was hiding. A faint rustling came from the bushes.
He turned his head and pushed the branches aside—And there she was. Maia.
Zarek's eyes widened instantly. He was surprised. He hadn't expected this at all.
Then he laughed—loud and cruel—so powerful that the entire forest echoed with it, birds startled out of the trees.
"Today, I'm truly lucky. Look who we have here… my little sister Maia."
Maia stared at Zarek in fear. Her knees trembled, breath broken and rushed.
"Ohhh my tiny baby… didn't you miss your big brother? It's been such a long time since we last saw each other."
Zarek's hand suddenly reached for Maia's hair. He wrapped his fingers around it—
and yanked brutally. Maia's head snapped backward.
Tears streamed from her eyes; the pain stole her breath.
"B—big brother… p-please… d-don't… please… let us go… I beg you…"
Her voice shook, words barely escaping her throat. Fear, pain, and helplessness twisted together inside every syllable.
While Maia's muffled scream echoed into the dark forest… Zarek's cruel smile only grew wider.