As the sun shined high in the sky, a young man nearing twenty ran with a sword in hand. He moved as if his life depended on it — and it did. Behind him, a wild boar pursued him. The boar was as large as a small tree, and its eyes burned with crimson flames. Xaidon, channeling the little agility he had by infusing Qi into his legs, jumped from tree to tree, trying to create more distance.
"F**k, F**k, F**k." Xaidon muttered curses as he ran. "Those fools better be ready."
As he ran, he spotted a large tree and leapt high enough to grab a branch. The boar, not stopping, aimed at the tree, but before it could reach, it suddenly fell into a pit. The pit wasn't deep enough to prevent it from jumping out, but before it could, a boy with brown hair and a fiery touch appeared behind the tree and threw the torch into the pit. He closed his eyes, and in the next second, the fire on the torch engulfed the boar. A loud growl escaped from the beast until silence took over.
Xaidon landed beside Peter, watching the flaming boar. In the past two days, he'd learned that unlike him, who used Qi to strengthen his body, Peter relied on Qi to cast magic. He was especially skilled with the fire attribute. Xaidon studied him for a moment, and before he could comment, he heard a growl from the burning pit, and a figure leapt out. The boar was still alive — burning, but alive. The two stared at it with shocked expressions. Peter immediately turned and ran.
"You useless fucker!" Xaidon spat, raising his sword to meet the boar's head. He could feel it weakening, and he could now match its strength. He tried to regain his footing but was still being pushed back. Suddenly, an arrow pierced the boar. With this, Xaidon regained his footing and stood his ground. Another arrow struck the boar's shoulder. With each shot, he pushed it back further as the arrows kept coming.
"Get back here!" Xaidon shouted. A second later, Peter appeared, closing his eyes to focus. The flames on the boar flared up again, weakening it further. As Xaidon continued to push, they reached the pit again. With a step back and a swing of his sword, he blinded the boar and pushed it back into the pit. Then, an arrow shot and hit the middle of its head, killing it.
Xaidon sank to the ground, exhausted. He kept breathing heavily. Peter approached and handed him a flake of water. He then proceeded to extinguish the flames, revealing the charred fur of the boar. Someone landed beside Xaidon.
"We need to hurry; we've wasted time in this forest, and we don't know when Alexander is coming back." Skylar said as she jumped into the pit and pulled out the arrows. Luckily, the arrows weren't too damaged by the fire and could be reused. She then pulled out a dagger and began skillfully and quickly carving the boar's skin. Peter left and brought a bag. They stored the meat inside. Once finished, they promptly left the site.
They reached their new cave and immediately began preparing the meat. They needed to do so before it spoiled, since they wouldn't be hunting for long and needed to cover a great distance. Peter prepared the fire, Skylar tended to the meat, and Xaidon ensured they had enough water for the journey. After some time, he looked at his companions.
Peter's complexion had turned fair. His brown hair looked clean, and his deep black eyes shone. Skylar looked a bit better too — rested and more vibrant. Her smooth, pale skin looked healthier and more beautiful. Her silver hair, now washed, gleamed like real silver. Xaidon had also improved to some extent — his cracked brown skin was clearer, and his black hair and brown eyes were sharp.
Within three days of eating, sleeping, and taking occasional baths, they resembled humans. Currently, they shared the same goal, so they cooperated. Xaidon sighed, thinking of the Kin clan. He couldn't wait to get revenge for what they did to him and his mother.
They worked in silence as they prepared. Xaidon went out to fetch water, ensuring everything was ready. As night fell, they sat quietly and ate.
"So will we pass by your village before hitting the branch?" Xaidon asked. Peter stopped eating and looked out of the cave for a moment.
"No, we should focus on our mission." he replied as he continued eating. Then, in a low voice, he added, "I will surely pay them a visit."
With that, they fell asleep. The forest was relatively free of predators, so they felt safe.
The next morning, they set out. Peter led the way, and the others followed. Each carried a small bag of supplies that didn't hinder their movement. They traveled for days, crossing a shallow river without incident. The journey stretched on for even more days until they finally ran out of food and had to hunt again. This pattern continued for a month and a half until they reached a cliff. Peter stood at the peak and looked down at the forest below.
"Just below here and we will get to the branch." Peter said, pointing toward the forest. Skylar looked down and nodded.
"I suggest we camp here tonight and leave tomorrow." she said, then went to search for firewood. Xaidon noticed Peter was now on another side of the cliff, looking into the distance.
"That's where your village is, right?" he asked as he approached. Peter turned and nodded.
"You could go there just to pass by, you know."
Peter shook his head. "No, I need to be strong enough. I have to."
He paused before turning to leave. "I'll need your help to leave the organization and return to my village."
Without waiting for a response, he walked away. Xaidon studied him for a moment before looking past the cliff. They ate and drank, then fell asleep, mentally preparing for what was ahead.
While sleeping, Xaidon dreamt of himself and his parents having dinner and laughing. They looked happy and carefree. In the dream, he noticed a smiling family, but behind his father, a black snake watched and hissed slowly. They stared at each other for a few seconds before he woke up frightened. He calmed himself and went for a drink of water. Then, he sensed something and reached for his sword.
"Wake up!" Xaidon shouted loudly enough to wake Peter and Skylar. For a moment, they were confused, then a figure appeared at a distance.
Skylar grabbed her bow and a few arrows; Peter pulled out a dagger. The figure wore a cloak covering his face. "Who would have thought that one of you had sharp senses?" the figure said as he unhooded himself.
He wore dark armor and carried a whip and a sword at his hips. The most noticeable mark was a large 'XI' on his neck. Xaidon froze immediately when he saw it. His father had told him how they identified these people and how unashamed they were to show it publicly. This person was a member of the Dark Order — and a demon.