CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Elliot looked back at her with a smile full of gratitude.
"It's her," Dinah whispered into Elliot's ear.
Elliot went down on one knee as he felt her presence. Her smile grew brighter, and Dinah joined him.
"Thank you, Your Divinity," Dinah said as she knelt.
Elliot raised his head. "You knew we would win, didn't you?"
"Of course. You're from his blood, aren't you?" Elder Sylvara replied.
"I suppose so," Elliot said with great relief.
He drew out the sword and balanced it elegantly in his hand. "Thank you. I shall return your legendary weapon. I'm not worthy of it, Elliot said honestly.
He knew he had only scratched the surface of the swords power, yet he could already feel the immense force emanating from it. It was a legendary sword, similar to a high-grade holy relic—the kind they kept locked away from Barbados and the other barbarians. Yet here it was, resting in his hands. Elliot worried that it might be stolen and cause great damage, but Elder Sylvara saw right through him.
She blushed. "You really are something," she said.
She stepped toward Elliot and collected the sword. "I deem you worthy."
She passed the sword twice, touching it to each of his shoulders in turn. Elliot looked up.
"But swear this oath," Elder Sylvara said.
"When shadows rise and hope grows frail,
When mighty hearts begin to fail,
By the root of the earth and the breath of flame,
I swear to guard the weak in name.
Through thorn and storm, through night and blight,
My heart shall be my guiding light.
No fear shall bind, no darkness claim;
The blade of my life, renewed, I name.
I draw this blade—
Shield the good, Heartroot Blade!
Answer my oath!"
Elliot held the sword, closing his eyes as he recited the oath. When he opened them, he felt the sword respond. Green-and-gold roots of light spread across his arm, and glowing runes spiraled around him. The earth trembled, answering the courage in Elliot's heart.
"Thank you. Is there anything I can do to repay you?" Elliot asked, his heart full of gratitude.
"There is one way," she said.
She held his face and kissed him.
"I will be watching you," she said. Then she slowly walked away. Elliot watched as she took five steps before vanishing in a great flash of light.
A mythical sheet appeared, and he placed the sword inside.
"Aww, someone has a crush!" Dinah teased.
"You should stop joking. She's way out of my league," Elliot said with a smile.
"Aww!" Dinah said, then hugged him. "Don't worry. Your cute little sister is here for you."
"I'm not worried. We should get going. It's late, and I'm hungry," Elliot said as they started walking.
"You're right. After all that action, we need a good night's sleep," Dinah said as they continued down the pathway.
The sun was beginning to set when they entered a deeper part of the forest. Elliot noticed that something seemed strange. The tree trunks twisted like enormous serpents, their branches blocking most of the sunlight. Strange blue lights drifted between the roots, and even the birds had fallen silent.
Elliot adjusted the straps across his shoulder. "Another tragedy caused by that man," he said, as the Sprite's face flashed through his mind.
"Wait. You know what's causing this?" Dinah asked curiously.
"Probably," Elliot said, his expression certain.
"Since you killed the manticore, the monsters have been acting up. I used to love this place," Dinah said in a low tone.
"You still love this place," he said, assuming nothing tried to eat her first.
They continued down the narrow path until they heard a soft murmur. Elliot gently stomped the ground, using echolocation to locate the voices.
"They might be injured," Elliot said as Dinah followed him deeper into the forest.
They continued until they heard a voice.
"Please help us!" the voice called.
As they drew closer, Elliot stopped. Someone was hiding behind a cluster of moss-covered boulders.
"Who's there?" he called.
Three figures slowly emerged. The first was a tall, elderly man wearing a ragged brown cloak and carrying a wooden staff decorated with small bones. The second was a silver-haired woman with a weathered face and a bow slung across her back. The third was a young man with a bandaged arm who kept glancing nervously toward the trees. They looked exhausted.
The elderly man approached Elliot. "You're an adventurer, aren't you?"
"Depends on who's asking," Elliot replied humbly.
"My name is Orven. These are Mira and Talen, my grandchildren. We've been searching for someone capable of helping us."
Elliot glanced at them. "Let me guess—a monster is causing trouble?"
Mira's expression darkened. "Not just any monster. The Red Bear."
At that name, Talen flinched. Elliot noticed.
"The Red Bear?" Elliot repeated, recognizing the name. "What's so special about it?"
Orven leaned heavily on his staff. "It rules this part of the forest. Every creature here fears it. For years, it has hunted travellers, destroyed settlements, and driven innocent people from their homes."
"Then why haven't you left?" Elliot asked.
Mira looked away. "Because this is our home."
For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Orven took a step closer.
"We want you to kill it," he said.
Elliot stared at him. "You want me to do what?"
"Kill the Red Bear," Orven repeated. "You've got swords, and you look like someone who knows how to fight. You're also young enough to move quickly. You're exactly what we need."
"You're right about that," Elliot said, folding his arms. "And yet, you're the first armed travellers we've met."
Elliot eyed them suspiciously, wondering whether they might be working with Tryuji, the evil Sprite.
Mira moved forward. "The Red Bear is dangerous. It needs to be killed. You should have seen what it did to my brother." Grief poured from her eyes.
She lowered her gaze. "One of my friends went into the forest three weeks ago and never returned. We found his belongings near the Red Bear's territory."
She clenched her uninjured hand. "My family has lost our home because of it. Now we have nowhere to go."Mira said as Elliot's expression softened, he did not draw his sword.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you, but asking me to kill something just because you fear it isn't enough of a reason," Elliot said.
He wanted to confirm their resolve. He knew of barbarians who misled adventurers, lured them into traps, and murdered them. But Orven was determined to get help, and Elliot and Dinah could see it in his eyes. Elliot smiled, and Dinah tugged at his sleeve, urging him to help.
Orven's eyes narrowed. "Are you refusing?"
"I'm saying I want to know the truth before I decide anything," Elliot replied with a smile.
"The truth is, we tried to hunt it. We killed the pack leader and its mother, so it retaliated by killing most of us at the camp. Thank God for magic—we survived," the old man said, tightening his grip on his staff.
Elliot noticed the man's reaction. Looking directly at him, he could tell Orven was telling the truth.
"Then proving it's dangerous should be easy."
For the first time, Orven had no immediate response.
A warning came from the woods: a distant, thunderous tremor followed by a roar. Mira held fast to her bow, ready to react. Elliot noticed her expertise, though her reactions were rather slow. She could shoot down a bear from a distance.
The ground vibrated beneath their feet.
"It's coming!" Talen said fearfully.
Mira slowly looked at Dinah and Elliot. Neither showed any sign of fear.
"You're not scared?" Mira asked.
"Why should I be? I've killed a ton of red bears in the past. I really dislike them," Elliot said.
Red bears attacked people with low levels of magic. Elliot, however, had no magic at all.
"But you don't have magic," Mira said, unconvinced.
Elliot showed her his fist and smiled, ready for battle.
"Don't die," she said, blushing slightly.
"Don't worry. I'm really strong," Elliot replied confidently.
"If you need help, scream," she said, holding up her arrows as they began to glow golden.
Elliot was a little impressed. "Well, that's impressive. I can take one down easily. Who can't? I really dislike red bears. Now, show me the way."
"We'll gladly show you, hero," Orven said.
Talen frowned. "Well, someone has to keep Mira safe."
"I'm pretty sure she'll be safer with the old man," Elliot joked.
Talen understood the joke but frowned anyway.
"It should be easy for you," Mira said, placing complete faith and trust in her brother.
Elliot smiled. "We should get going."
"We'll lead the way," Orven said, and the group led Elliot toward the cave.
A huge tremor shook the ground as a roar erupted from inside.
"Be safe, Mira," Elliot said.
"May the angels bless you," Orven added.
Dinah smiled at him, while Talen called Elliot "punk," still offended by the earlier insult.
The wind howled through the ancient forest as Elliot Belmont approached the red bear's lair. The cave was enormous, its jagged mouth resembling the open jaws of a sleeping beast. Deep within, a growl echoed along the walls.
Elliot adjusted his cloak and glanced at the manacles and dragon-tooth dagger secured at his waist.
"So, this is the red bear's hideout. I expected something more intimidating," he said as he stepped inside.
The air grew colder with every step. Massive claw marks scarred the walls, and the ground was littered with broken branches and enormous footprints. Elliot followed the tracks deeper into the chamber until he reached a vast underground cavern.
Then he heard it.
"GRRRR!"
Two glowing eyes opened in the shadows. A gigantic red bear emerged, its muscular body covered in crimson fur. Its claws scraped against the stone as it lowered its head and stared at the intruder.
Elliot smiled faintly.
"Found you."
Before he could take another step, a second growl came from behind him. He turned his head. Then came a third—and five more.
Elliot slowly looked toward the tunnels as more bears began to emerge, one after another. They crowded into the cave, their enormous bodies blocking every visible exit. There were far more than he had expected.
He was excited. Things had just gotten interesting.
One bear roared, shaking dust from the ceiling. The others answered. Within moments, Elliot was surrounded by a whole pack of furious monsters.
He looked around, counting them.
"Eight… twelve… fifteen?" Elliot sighed. "Seriously, does nobody in this forest believe in personal space?"
The largest bear, nearly twice the size of the others, stomped forward. It opened its jaws and unleashed a thunderous roar.
The entire pack charged.
Elliot's smile disappeared.
Boom!
The first bear lunged at him, swinging a massive paw. Elliot slipped beneath the attack and drove his fist into the creature's jaw. The impact sent the beast crashing sideways into two others.
Before they could recover, Elliot sprang forward, weaving between their bodies with astonishing speed. A bear attacked from his left. He caught its arm, redirected its momentum, and struck its chest with a powerful punch.
The monster stumbled backward and collapsed against the cave wall.
Another attacked from behind.
"Too slow," Elliot said.
He spun and delivered an uppercut that lifted the bear's front paws off the ground before sending it sprawling across the rocky floor.
Three more charged together. Elliot drew his dragon-tooth dagger, its polished blade catching the faint light filtering through the cave entrance.
"Now we're getting somewhere!"
His excitement grew as the bears attacked from different directions.
Elliot moved like a shadow. He dodged the first, slipped past the second, and used the third bear's momentum to send it tumbling into its companion. His dagger flashed in swift, controlled movements, striking with precision while avoiding unnecessary exchanges.
One bear lunged toward his shoulder. Elliot twisted aside, struck it with his dagger, and drove a powerful kick into its side. Another tried to crush him beneath an enormous paw. He rolled beneath the attack, sprang to his feet, and slammed his fist into its snout.
Crack!
The bear staggered. Elliot followed with a swift dagger strike, bringing the beast down, then turned to face the next monster.
The chamber became a whirlwind of roaring monsters, scraping claws, and rapid footsteps. Yet Elliot remained remarkably calm. Every time the bears attacked, he found an opening. Every time the pack tried to overwhelm him, he broke through their formation.
One by one, he defeated the red bears.
Finally, the largest bear charged from the back of the chamber. Its roar shook the cavern.
Elliot planted his feet.
"Finally, the boss decided to join us," he said with a smile.
The beast lunged with enough force to shatter a stone pillar. Elliot waited until the last possible moment, then sidestepped the charge and seized his opportunity. He drove a devastating punch into the bear's jaw.
The creature stumbled, shaking its enormous head. Elliot leaped forward and struck it with the flat of his dagger, forcing it down onto its forelegs.
The giant bear roared again and tried to stand. Elliot jumped onto its back and twisted its neck, delivering a decisive finishing blow before leaping back to the ground.
The monster dropped to its knees and collapsed.
Silence returned to the cave.
Elliot stood among the defeated red bears, breathing steadily. He brushed the dust from his clothes, returned his dagger to its sheath, and surveyed the chamber.
"That was a great battle. I'm glad you got to say your final prayers," he said.
He wiped the grime from his face and turned toward the exit.
"That was considerably more exercise than I planned."
Elliot moved toward the cave entrance, stepping over scattered rocks and avoiding the fallen creatures. Then he noticed something unusual behind the largest bear's resting place: a passage concealed by hanging roots and broken stones.
From somewhere beyond it came a faint metallic sound.
Clink.
Elliot stopped. His expression sharpened.
"That doesn't sound like a bear," he said curiously.
He approached the hidden passage and drew his dagger again. Whatever lay deeper inside the cave, he had a feeling the red bears had been guarding something.
And Elliot Belmont had never been particularly good at leaving mysteries alone.