THE PATH TO SURVIVAL
The forest surrounding the cave’s exit was dense and oppressive. The branches of the trees intertwined as if trying to trap any ray of light that dared to slip through. Zyrion and Kyrahna walked in silence, alert to every sound, while tension floated heavily in the air. Although they had successfully escaped the cave and the Fragment of Light was safe in Kyrahna’s hands, they knew the dangers were far from over.
Zyrion broke the silence. “So? How does it feel to carry a magical crystal shard that could destroy us all if it breaks?”
Kyrahna shot him a tired, slightly irritated look. “It’s not just any ‘magical crystal shard,’ Zyrion. It’s one of the Fragments of the Eternal Soul. And it feels… strange. Like something inside me has changed.”
“Strange as in ‘this is awesome,’ or strange as in ‘this thing is going to kill me’?” he joked.
“A bit of both, to be honest,” Kyrahna replied with an ironic smile. Then, more seriously, she added, “I can feel its power… it’s overwhelming, but it’s also like it’s talking to me. As if it knows me.”
Zyrion raised an eyebrow. “That sounds creepy. What’s it saying? ‘Please don’t use me to blow up the world’?”
Kyrahna sighed. “Not exactly, but… something like that. It feels like it wants to guide me… or test me.”
Zyrion shook his head as he pushed a branch aside. “If a fragment ever starts talking to me, I swear I’ll throw it into the nearest river.”
“And what if the fragment tells you it could save your life?” Kyrahna teased.
“Then I guess I’d have to listen. But until then, I’d rather trust my sword,” Zyrion said, tapping the hilt of his weapon lightly.
Before Kyrahna could answer, both stopped dead in their tracks. A deep, low sound echoed through the trees, like a distant roar that made the ground tremble beneath their feet.
“What was that?” Zyrion asked, his tone suddenly serious.
“I don’t know,” Kyrahna replied, her eyes scanning the forest for the source of the sound. “But I don’t like it.”
“Great,” Zyrion muttered. “Because after everything we’ve been through, the only thing missing was a giant monster.”
They didn’t have to wait long to confirm their fears. Through the trees, a massive figure began to emerge. It was colossal—a mix between a wolf and a reptile, with eyes glowing a sinister red and fangs that looked sharp enough to tear through anything.
“Well, there’s your giant monster,” Zyrion said, drawing his sword. “Any brilliant ideas, Kyrahna?”
Kyrahna stepped back, analyzing the situation. “We can’t fight it head-on. It’s too big, and it seems protected by dark magic.”
“Perfect. So… we run?” Zyrion asked, eyes fixed on the creature as it slowly advanced.
“We don’t have another choice,” Kyrahna said, gripping her dagger tightly. “Go!”
Both turned and ran deeper into the forest. The creature followed, its steps shaking the ground. Every time they thought they gained distance, the beast seemed even closer, as if it were toying with them.
“This isn’t working!” Zyrion shouted, dodging an exposed root. “We need to hide or fight!”
Kyrahna looked around desperately. Then she spotted something in the distance—a rocky hill with a narrow opening. “This way!” she yelled, changing direction.
Zyrion followed, breathless. “I hope you have a plan and we’re not running into another trap!”
“Just trust me!” Kyrahna replied as they reached the entrance. She turned to Zyrion, right behind her. “Inside! Quick!”
They slipped through the narrow gap just before the beast reached them. The creature stopped outside, growling and clawing at the rocks, unable to enter.
“Well,” Zyrion said, trying to catch his breath, “that was… exciting.”
Kyrahna collapsed against the rock wall, also panting. “Sorry. I know this isn’t what you had planned.”
Zyrion looked at her and smiled. “If I’m being honest, my plan was simply not dying. So technically, we’re still following my plan.”
Kyrahna laughed softly, but her expression soon turned serious. “We can’t stay here long. That thing won’t leave.”
“I know,” Zyrion replied. “But we need a moment to think. What is that thing anyway? It doesn’t look like something you’d find in a normal forest.”
“It’s an aberration,” Kyrahna said after a moment. “A creature created by corrupt magic. It’s probably here to protect something… or to stop us from moving forward.”
“Protect what?” Zyrion asked, frowning.
“I’m not sure,” Kyrahna admitted. “But if it’s here, it means we’re on the right path.”
Zyrion sighed. “Great. So we just have to get past it or kill it. Easy.”
“Maybe we don’t have to fight it directly,” Kyrahna suggested. “If we can distract it, we might be able to go around it and escape.”
“Distract it how? Should I start dancing?” Zyrion joked.
Kyrahna gave him a mischievous smile. “You could try. Though I doubt the beast has a sense of humor.”
“What about this?” Zyrion said, ignoring the comment. “I’ll distract it while you find a way around. If anything goes wrong, at least one of us survives.”
Kyrahna shook her head immediately. “No. I’m not letting you do that alone.”
“You don’t have to let me,” Zyrion replied with a grin. “You just have to run fast.”
Kyrahna sighed, knowing it was pointless to argue. “Fine. But if you do anything stupid, I swear I’ll bring you back just to kill you myself.”
Zyrion chuckled. “I promise not to do anything more stupid than usual.”
They prepared to leave the hiding spot, ready to face whatever awaited them. Despite the danger, both knew they couldn’t give up—not when the fate of the fragments, and maybe the world, depended on them.
Zyrion stepped out of the narrow cave with his sword ready, determined to distract the aberration. The creature turned toward him, stopping its assault on the rocks, and let out a deafening roar. The ground shook as Kyrahna got ready to search for an alternate route.
“Hey, big guy! How about a little exercise?” Zyrion shouted, waving his sword to get the beast’s attention. “Come on, chase me—if you’ve got more brains than a rotten log!”
The creature reacted instantly, lunging toward him with surprising speed. Zyrion barely rolled aside before its claws slammed into the ground.
“Zyrion, be careful!” Kyrahna cried from her safe position, still scanning for a path.
“Careful is my middle name!” Zyrion yelled back as he dodged another strike—barely. “Well, technically it’s not, but you know what I mean.”
Before Kyrahna could respond, a flash of light appeared between the trees, followed by swift movement. A woman emerged onto the battlefield—her silver hair reflecting the dim light that filtered through the branches. Her cold, icy eyes assessed the situation in an instant. She wore light but sturdy armor, and in her hand she carried a halberd that seemed to vibrate with energy.
Without saying a word, the woman dashed at the aberration with incredible speed. Her halberd glowed as it sliced through one of the beast’s hind legs, forcing it to roar in pain and retreat.
“Who…?” Zyrion began, but he was interrupted by a male voice behind him.
“Oh, don’t worry about her. She’s serious, but she’s really good at what she does,” said the man with a mischievous smile as he emerged from the forest. He was tall, with messy dark hair and a carefree expression. “I’m Karion, by the way. And that beauty over there is Caelithra. Did we arrive on time for the party, or is it already over?”
“Party? What madness is this?” Zyrion exclaimed as he dodged another swipe from the creature.
“The kind of madness where we’ll probably die, but at least we’ll look good doing it,” Karion replied, drawing two gleaming daggers. “Let’s make this fun!”
As Karion rushed forward, Caelithra stopped him with a cold glare. “Do not play, Karion. This is not entertainment. It’s a mission.”
Karion lifted his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright. But at least let me have some fun.”
While the two newcomers fought with surprising skill and coordination, Zyrion and Kyrahna approached cautiously.
“Friends of yours?” Kyrahna asked, clearly suspicious.
“Never seen them before in my life,” Zyrion replied. “But if they’re helping, I’m not complaining.”
Caelithra delivered the finishing blow, driving her halberd into the creature’s chest. The aberration let out a final roar before collapsing, twitching until it fell still. Without a word, Caelithra turned toward Zyrion and Kyrahna.
“Who are you, and why are you here?” she asked, her tone as sharp as her weapon.
“We could ask you the same thing,” Zyrion replied, lowering but not sheathing his sword. “I’m Zyrion, and she’s Kyrahna. We’re… on an important journey.”
“An important journey,” Karion repeated with a grin as he approached. “What kind of ‘important journey’ involves fighting an aberration like that? Are you two looking for trouble?”
“That’s none of your business,” Kyrahna replied coldly.
Karion raised his brows, pretending to be offended. “Well, excuse me for asking. I was trying to be friendly.”
Caelithra ignored him and focused on Zyrion again. “That aberration wasn’t here by chance. What are you carrying?”
Zyrion and Kyrahna exchanged a doubtful glance. Finally, Zyrion spoke. “We’re searching for the Fragments of the Eternal Soul.”
Karion let out a low whistle. “Well, well. Not every day you meet people crazy enough to look for those. Do you know how dangerous they are?”
“We know,” Kyrahna said firmly. “And we know we cannot fail.”
Caelithra studied them for a long moment before giving a slight nod. “If that is your goal, then your lives are in constant danger. We might be able to help you… but I don’t trust you yet.”
“Well, that makes two of us,” Zyrion said. “But I’m not turning away help if it keeps us alive.”
Karion grinned brightly. “Perfect! Then we’re a team! And before you say anything, Caelithra, you know this is going to be interesting.”
Caelithra sighed, resigned. “We will do this only because our objectives align. But if you do anything to jeopardize the mission, I will not hesitate to eliminate you.”
“Charming!” Karion said, giving Zyrion a hearty pat on the back. “Don’t worry, she softens over time. Well… sort of.”
Zyrion sighed as Karion laughed. “Great. Because what we needed was more complications.”
Kyrahna eyed the newcomers with suspicion, but part of her knew they could be useful. She also knew trust wouldn’t come easily.
The group—now four—prepared to continue their journey. The mission was growing more dangerous at every step, and though tension lingered in the air, they all understood one thing clearly:
If they wanted to survive, they would need to work together.
TO BE CONTINUED…