Hanz ran through the forest, his feet pounding against the uneven ground. The trees were dense and ancient, their thick trunks rising like silent sentinels, branches interlocking overhead to create a canopy that blocked most of the starlight. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and moss, the ground soft with fallen leaves and roots that threatened to trip him at every step.
Behind him, the three Kharatans gave chase.
They moved with terrifying silence, their tall, skinny frames weaving between the trees like shadows. Their long dread-like hair whipped behind them as they ran, yellow eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. One leaped onto a low branch, using it to launch itself forward, spear raised. Another ran along the ground, sword held low, cutting through underbrush without a sound. The third kept pace on the other side, closing the distance with unnatural speed.
Hanz's heart hammered in his chest. He dodged a low-hanging branch, then leaped over a fallen log. The sound of his own breathing was loud in his ears, but the Kharatans made almost no noise — only the faint rustle of leaves as they passed.
One of them threw its spear. The weapon whistled through the air, missing Hanz by inches and embedding itself in a tree trunk ahead of him. He didn't stop. He kept running, pushing his body harder.
Then… something changed.
His energy began to rise. The familiar green wind mana stirred inside him again, growing stronger with every step. He felt it flow through his veins, light and alive, as if the nullification from earlier had finally worn off.
Oh... you are so dead.
He skidded to a halt, turning to face his pursuers. A wild grin spread across his face.
The three Kharatans slowed, surrounding him in a loose triangle, weapons ready.
Hanz spun his axe once, wind mana swirling around the blade.
"Let's do this."
One Kharatan lunged first, spear thrusting forward with deadly speed. Hanz sidestepped, the blade grazing his side as he brought his axe down in a powerful arc. The wind-enhanced strike caught the spear, shattering it and sending the attacker stumbling back.
The second came from the side, sword swinging in a wide horizontal cut. Hanz ducked low, then exploded upward with a spinning kick, his foot wrapped in green wind. The impact lifted the Kharatan off the ground and slammed it into a tree trunk with a loud crack.
The third attacked from behind, trying to impale him. Hanz spun, blocking the thrust with his axe. The clash sent sparks flying. He pushed forward, wind mana surging as he forced the attacker back, then delivered a heavy overhead strike. The axe connected, cutting deep into the Kharatan's shoulder. It screamed and fell.
The first one recovered, grabbing a broken branch as a makeshift weapon and charging again. Hanz met it head-on, their weapons clashing in a flurry of blows. He parried, countered, then unleashed a burst of wind from his free hand, blasting the attacker off its feet.
The second Kharatan rose, bloodied but still moving. It threw its sword like a javelin. Hanz dodged, then closed the distance in a burst of speed, swinging his axe in a wide, powerful arc. The blade connected with its chest, sending it crashing to the ground.
The last one tried one final desperate attack, leaping from a low branch with its spear. Hanz spun, wind swirling around him, and struck it mid-air. The force sent the Kharatan flying into the underbrush, where it lay still.
Hanz stood in the middle of the small clearing, breathing hard, axe still raised. The three Kharatans lay motionless around him.
He let out a shaky laugh, wiping blood from his cheek.
"Got you…"
Hanz bent over, holding onto his knees as he took a deep breath. His chest heaved, sweat dripping from his face. The forest was quiet around him, but then he heard it — the distant sound of battle ahead. Clashing metal and shouts.
He didn't waste time.
Wind mana surged around him in a green aura. He dashed forward in a burst of speed, becoming a streak of green light cutting through the trees.
Meanwhile, in the grasslands, right before the forest, Jin was on one knee, leaning heavily on his staff. His breath was ragged, body covered in cuts and bruises. Two Kharatans remained standing before him, bloodied but still dangerous. One was the mage, its body wrapped in faint blue energy that nullified mana. The other held a sword, eyes glowing yellow with rage.
Jin's mind raced, searching for options.
The mage is the problem. Without mana, I'm limited. If I get too close, the swordsman will impale me. I need to break the mage's concentration… but how?
He was at his limit. His body felt heavy, weak without the familiar surge of flame mana. Every movement burned.
I've been fighting too long. I can't keep this up much longer.
Then… from the forest, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air.
Jin turned his head toward it — too late.
Hanz's axe flew out of the trees like a green comet, spinning violently. It split the mage Kharatan clean in half, the body collapsing as blue energy flickered and died.
The remaining swordsman's eyes widened in shock, staring at the fallen mage.
Jin's expression shifted from exhaustion to a fierce smile.
From the forest, Hanz leaped out into the air, shouting as he descended. Wind mana exploded around him as he unleashed his technique — Wind Tempest!
A barrage of wind fists hammered into the remaining Kharatan, each strike landing with crushing force. The creature was lifted off the ground, its body breaking under the relentless assault. The final blow sent it crashing into the ground, creating a deep crater as dust and leaves exploded outward.
Hanz landed beside Jin, breathing hard but grinning.
Jin looked at him, still smiling.
"You idiot. I told you to run away."
They both took a moment to catch their breath, standing back-to-back in the small clearing. The air was thick with the smell of burnt grass and blood. The forest in front of them was eerily quiet.
Hanz wiped sweat from his brow, breathing hard.
"We need to leave this place. More of them could be coming. We can't stay here."
Jin nodded, his voice low.
"Yeah. The noise we made… it'll attract others. This whole area is dangerous now."
Hanz gripped his axe tighter.
"If we head deeper into the forest, we might find more of them. And if we go back toward the canyon…"
Jin cut him off.
"Too risky."
The forest was quiet. Too quiet. No birds, no insects — only the faint rustle of leaves in the wind.
"Sshh!"
Jin whispered.
"I think I heard something."
They slowly began to step back, eyes scanning the treeline.
Then… Jin's eyes widened. He moved his head by an inch. An arrow streaked past him, drawing a thin line of blood on his cheek.
Hanz noticed immediately, leaping back as mana surged around him in a green aura.
Jin assumed a stance, staff ready.
"It's not over."
Hanz asked, voice tense.
"How many can you see?"
Jin's silver eyes glowed as he scanned the darkness.
"Many... Too many to count."
From the tops of the trees, tiny dark silhouettes appeared. The next moment, they all leaped off the branches, rising into the air like a swarm of shadows. Their forms were barely visible in the night, but their glowing yellow eyes cut through the darkness as they descended at terrifying speed.
Jin and Hanz both looked up, watching the figures fall toward them.
Hanz chuckled, though his voice carried tension.
"Are we going to survive this?"
Jin replied, cold and firm.
"We will."
Jin spun his staff, flames roaring from it. He struck the ground hard. A massive flame wall burst upward, rising high into the air. The descending Kharatans panicked, some shouting in fear as they crossed through the flames. A few were caught fully, screaming as they burned.
The remaining burst through the fire, their skin covered in burns, roaring as they charged toward Jin.
Jin and Hanz moved as one.
Hanz thrust both fists forward. Green wind exploded from his arms in rapid succession, each compressed blast slamming into the charging Kharatans. The front line staggered violently, their formation breaking as bodies crashed into one another.
Jin was already moving.
He slipped through the opening Hanz had created, his staff spinning in wide, fluid circles. Flames wrapped around the weapon like a living serpent. The first Kharatan tried to raise its spear—
Too late.
The burning staff crashed into its jaw, snapping its head sideways before the reverse swing swept another across the ribs. Fire burst across its chest as it stumbled backward, screaming.
The two fought with seamless rhythm.
Hanz's wind never stopped moving. Every blast shoved an enemy into Jin's reach, every gust opened another path. Jin answered each opening with ruthless precision, his staff striking joints, throats, and skulls before flames consumed whatever remained standing.
A Kharatan lunged toward Hanz, spear thrusting straight for his heart.
Hanz twisted aside, the spear grazing his shoulder. Instead of retreating, he stepped inside its guard, planted one foot, and spun.
Wind exploded around his body. His axe carved a perfect arc through the air before the spinning kick struck the creature square in the chest. The compressed gust behind the impact launched it across the battlefield like a ragdoll.
Jin never even looked. He trusted Hanz.
A different Kharatan charged from the side.
Jin spun once, letting the creature run straight into the rotating staff. The tip punched clean through its chest.
Flames erupted from inside its body.
The Kharatan let out a single horrific scream before collapsing in a burning heap.
Then...
Jin's flames vanished. Hanz's wind died. Both of them froze for half a heartbeat. Their mana disappeared.
Jin's expression darkened immediately.
His silver eyes locked onto the rear of the formation.
There.
One Kharatan stood completely still. Faint blue mana flowed around its body.
"The mage."
Without hesitation, Jin exploded forward.
A sword swept toward his neck. He ducked beneath it. A spear lunged for his stomach. He vaulted over it, planting one foot on the shaft before launching himself forward again.
The mage raised its head. Jin drove his staff forward with everything he had.
A Kharatan suddenly threw itself between them. The staff slammed into its chest with a deafening crack.
Bones shattered.
The creature folded around the impact — but it stayed on its feet long enough. The mage was protected.
A grin spread across Hanz's face.
"I've got him!"
He shot toward Jin, stepped onto his shoulder for the briefest instant, then launched himself high above the battlefield.
The Kharatans looked up.
Too late.
Hanz flipped once in mid-air before releasing his axe. It spun end over end, slicing through the night with a sharp whistle.
The mage barely turned. The axe buried itself deep into its neck. Its head separated cleanly from its body. It hit the ground before the corpse even realized it was dead.
The blue aura vanished. Wind roared back to life. Flames ignited once more.
"Our mana's back!" Hanz shouted.
He thrust both hands forward. A violent wall of wind erupted across the battlefield, lifting several Kharatans completely off the ground before hurling them into trees and rocks with bone-breaking force.
Jin slowly lifted his head.
The Kharatan that had sacrificed itself was still standing before him, barely alive.
His eyes glowed brighter.
"Be gone."
Flames erupted violently around his body, twisting upward like a dragon awakening.
The Kharatan's yellow eyes widened.
Jin smiled. Coldly.
He thrust one hand forward. A concentrated pillar of fire exploded point-blank into the creature. There wasn't even time for it to scream. Its body disintegrated instantly, reduced to drifting ash that scattered into the night wind.
Hanz stepped beside Jin, both of them breathing hard, their bodies worn down from the relentless battle. Blood dripped from countless cuts across their clothes. Hanz wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.
"I've still got enough mana," he muttered between breaths. "But I can't keep fighting these things forever. There has to be a way out."
Jin kept his eyes on the remaining Kharatans.
"I'm working on it."
Hanz coughed, his shoulders rising with each painful breath.
"If this is what we'll be dealing with on this journey…" he said quietly. "I'm starting to wonder if we'll even make it to the west."
He coughed again.
This time, blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
He glanced sideways at Jin.
"You know… You were the one who chose this route."
Jin frowned.
"What?"
Hanz pointed weakly toward the canyon behind the fog
"We would have taken the other route, through the hills, but you chose through the Canyon... And look where it got us."
Jin scoffed.
"Don't be ridiculous. I followed the flow of mana. We never would've survived the hills."
Hanz laughed dryly despite the pain.
"And what difference did that make?"
He gestured toward the Kharatans surrounding them.
"We're still standing here, one bad swing away from dying."
He shook his head.
"Read the flow of mana?!… Yeah, right."
Jin sighed.
"Can you focus for one minute? I don't have time to argue with you."
The remaining Kharatans slowly advanced. Their crude weapons rose together.
Hanz swallowed.
"Come on, Silver Eyes…"
"What do we do? What do we do?"
Jin didn't take his eyes off them.
"Quiet... I'm thinking. Would you be patient?"
One of the Kharatans took a step forward. Then... It stopped. The others stopped with it.
Jin and Hanz immediately noticed.
Hanz let out a nervous chuckle.
"They finally figured out what happens if they get too close."
A shaky grin spread across his face.
"That's right."
"Stay over there."
"You don't want to end up like your friends."
The Kharatans didn't react. They didn't move. They simply stood there. Watching. Not them. Something else.
Jin noticed it first. He always did.
His expression changed.
"Something's wrong."
Hanz blinked.
"Huh?"
Jin slowly narrowed his silver eyes.
"They've stopped looking at us."
"They're looking at something else."
His grip tightened around his staff.
"Be careful."
"The real threat may already be—"
He stopped.
Something felt... Wrong. Not ahead. Not around him. But where he stood. It was as though another presence had quietly stepped into his world without making a sound.
A bead of sweat rolled slowly down his cheek. His silver eyes glowed brighter.
Yet... He saw nothing. For the first time... They showed him nothing. A cold shiver crawled up his spine. Every instinct he had screamed at him.
Don't look forward. Look behind you.
Slowly... Almost unwillingly... Jin turned his head. Hanz watched him. Confused. Then he turned as well. Both of them froze.
Someone... Was standing behind them.
Close. Far too close.
Neither of them had heard footsteps. Neither of them had sensed mana. Neither of them had felt a presence. It was simply... There.
The Kharatans no longer moved.
Jin couldn't speak. Neither could Hanz. Even breathing felt impossible. Only dread remained.
A suffocating dread that pressed against every instinct they possessed.
The figure towered over them. Taller than every Kharatan before it. Its frame was lean, broad, and powerfully built.
Ancient armor covered its body—a dark crimson chest plate engraved with intricate patterns worn away by countless battles. Massive black bracelets encased its forearms and wrists. Battle-worn armored skirts hung around its waist, while its bare feet rested silently upon the earth.
Long black-and-red dreadlocks fell behind its back.
Its eyes... Dark crimson. Like dying embers buried beneath ash.
The figure never moved. It didn't need to.
Jin and Hanz stood frozen, unable to move.
The figure's presence alone weighed upon them like an invisible mountain, locking every muscle in place. Their hearts pounded violently against their ribs as each breath became shallow and difficult. Even the night itself felt different. The cool air had turned unbearably heavy, as though the world around them had fallen silent in the presence of something that did not belong.
Neither of them dared to move.
The figure slowly smiled. It wasn't a smile born from amusement or joy. It was the smile of something that had already decided the outcome.
A cold shiver crawled down Hanz's spine. His fingers tightened around the handle of his axe until his knuckles turned pale, yet his body refused to obey him. His instincts screamed at him to run, but his legs remained rooted to the earth.
Then the figure moved. Its muscles flexed ever so slightly; that single motion was enough.
Jin's instincts exploded into action. Without exchanging a single word, both he and Hanz threw themselves backward with everything they had.
They were already too late.
The figure's fists blurred through the darkness. There was no wind-up. No visible technique. Only overwhelming speed.
A deafening crack echoed across the grassland as both fists connected simultaneously.
The impact folded the air itself.
Jin and Hanz were launched straight into the forest like broken arrows, smashing through towering trees one after another. Thick trunks splintered apart upon impact, branches exploded into the night sky, and countless leaves were torn free as a violent shockwave ripped through the surrounding woodland. Dust, bark, and shattered wood filled the air, leaving a trail of destruction behind them.
Hanz crashed violently against the massive roots of an ancient tree. His body bounced once before collapsing into the earth. Blood stained his clothes. His axe slipped from his grasp. He didn't move. Only the faint rise and fall of his chest proved he was still alive.
Several yards away, Jin struck the ground with equal force.
He rolled helplessly through dirt, broken branches, and scattered leaves before finally skidding to a stop. Fresh cuts covered his body, blood running freely down his face and soaking into the earth beneath him.
His vision spun violently. His ears rang. Every bone in his body screamed in agony. He planted his staff into the ground, forcing himself onto one knee.
His arms trembled violently beneath his own weight.
Then... He heard footsteps.
Slow. Calm. Unhurried.
Each step echoed through the silent forest until the figure stopped directly before him. It lowered itself into a crouch.
Jin forced his aching eyes upward.
The same grin still remained on the figure. Unchanged. Its dark crimson eyes glowed softly beneath the moonlight, watching him with quiet curiosity rather than hatred.
Then it spoke.
Its voice was deep and rough, like stone grinding against stone after centuries of silence.
"You..."
It tilted its head slightly.
"You are... humans..."
It paused, studying Jin's face.
"...Yes?"
Jin couldn't answer.
The creature's presence was suffocating. It wasn't merely powerful. It felt ancient. As though the forest itself acknowledged its existence.
His silver eyes widened, desperately trying to understand what stood before him. They saw nothing. No opening. No weakness. Only an endless wall of pressure that crushed every instinct he possessed.
For the first time in days... Jin felt genuine fear.
His vision darkened around the edges. Pain surged through his skull as consciousness slowly slipped away.
The figure continued watching him for another quiet moment before speaking once more.
Its voice remained calm. Almost gentle.
"Rest now."
Jin's grip loosened. The silver glow faded from his eyes, returning them to their natural brown. His body collapsed forward into the bloodstained earth.
Darkness claimed him.