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Inside of a lush forest, the chirping of birds echoed through the trees, harmonizing with the leaves swaying on the gentle breeze. Suddenly, the beautiful melody was interrupted by the caws of a nearby flock of birds that took to the skies, their wings flapping rapidly.
From between the dense bushes, a magnificent beast leaped forth, a wolf, with its dark blue fur waving as it run and the white end of its tail wagging slightly. Immediately after, a female voice was heard from right behind it.
"Wait, Storm! Don't run ahead by yourself!"
The wolf halted, its pure white paws stomping the ground and it turned around to greet the blonde girl who emerged from the underbrush. The young girl, finally able to catch her breath, jogged for a few moments before slowing down and walking confidently towards the wolf, while resting her left arm on the hilt of the sword decorating her waist.
She wore a white blouse decorated with sharp gold lines tracing her shoulders, collar, and cuffs. On the left side of her chest, an insignia in gold and black depicted a sword piercing the sun. Her dark gray trousers were light and breathable, tailored for ease of movement, neatly tucked into reinforced boots dusted with soil and mud.
Her sapphire eyes sparkled with mischief as she looked up, and the golden-blonde hair at the end of her ponytail danced in the slight wind. She stood up straight and stretched, her fair hands reaching for the sky, as she let out a breath.
Storm approached, lowering his head to nuzzle her. His frame was much larger compared to a normal wolf, with his height being just short of the girl's.
A wide, content smile appeared on the girl's face as she quickly brushed off the leaves hidden in her hair.
"We made it to the outer barrier! No more lessons for today, we can finally relax!" she exclaimed full of relief. A few meters ahead, an imposing cloud-like wall stood. As if made out of fog, the barrier seemed to flow slowly in irregular patterns. Combined with its subtle white glow it was a sight as beautiful as the ocean.
"What's the point in studying so much anyway? She doesn't even let me rest on the weekends!" the girl's expression didn't show disdain, but rather a mix of defeat and exhaustion.
The wolf let out a gentle growl as she vented, seemingly in agreement, as the girl started patting and pampering him from the side, treating him like a fluffy cushion.
Turning her head ever-so-slightly, she side-eyed Storm.
"Ahh, but didn't you leave me behind to run away on your own just now? What were you chasing anyway?" she questioned the wolf.
Surprised, Storm quickly closed his mouth and turned his head away, acting as if he did not hear the question.
The girl looked intensely at her own raised hand, concentrating as best she could.
Fwoosh. A tiny flame appeared, floating on the girl's palm.
Fire magic. All magic is born from mana, an invisible force flowing through everything—plants, animals, even the air itself. Those who can sense mana are able to shape it, move it, and bend it to their will.
The girl's mouth changed into a grin. "Maybe I should have some wolf stew today?" she continued to tease him while aggressively petting his neck through the fluffy fur.
Rumble. The ground beneath them shook slightly, breaking her focus and with a quick flicker the flame disappeared.
"An earthquake?" the girl calmly lifted her brows and tried to analyze the situation.
Birds in a huge radius around the two cawed loudly as they took off en masse, leaves fell from their branches, swaying in the breeze.
Immediately, her eyes widened and she turned her focus towards the barrier as an ominous possibility crossed her mind.
"Don't tell me, the barrier?" she thought out loud, anxiety creeping into her voice.
This was no ordinary forest. A land of monstrosities, the [Forest of Disasters]. Because of the unnatural mana concentration inside the forest, barriers have been set up in order to stop anything from coming out, be it beasts, humans or mana itself.
("The barriers isolate the inside from the outside. There was no sound, but vibrations can still travel through the ground. Is it a monster wave?") her heart sank as she thought of the worst case scenario.
The girl forced out a breath, regaining her composure. ("No, if that were the case the stampede would cause constant tremors.")
Her thoughts moved like lightning, only a moment had passed so far and the falling leaves caused by the shaking were just about to hit the ground.
"Let's head back quickly" she urged, half talking to herself. Her heart was racing, yet the large beast remained rooted. Storm's body was on alert as it stared intently at the sky.
The winds suddenly picked up, whipping the girl's golden hair around.
The wolf tensed, motionless for a heartbeat, then snapped-ears flat, lips curling, a low growl rumbling from his chest.
"Storm?" Her voice held, cautious. She glanced up towards the sky.
Small sparks of lightning begun crackling occasionally along the wolf's fur.
Storm was no ordinary beast. He had once ruled a pack here, inside the middle layer of the forest. A fight with a stronger rival during the last monster wave had left him broken. The girl found him then, carried him back from death, and nursed him to this-this restless, coiled presence at her feet. His senses far surpassed the young girl's, and she was not naive enough to ignore her intelligent companion.
Rumble. A second tremor shook the ground beneath them-stronger than before, but not enough to throw them off balance.
"A [Disaster]!" the girl concluded immediately.
The [Forest] had three barriers, dividing it into the outer, middle, and inner layers. Each time a barrier was breached, the difference in mana concentration sent waves of energy rushing outward, triggering a small earthquake until the opening was sealed again.
But a broken barrier meant one of two things: either a horde was approaching... or a force strong enough to destroy the barrier on its own had appeared.
Unexpectedly, a thin yelp slipped past Storm's bared teeth, followed by a few sharp barks.
She froze at the sound. When she finally turned, Storm was lying on the ground, shivering as if consumed by fear.
The sight of the great wolf-her steadfast companion that was ready to fight until a second ago-reduced to a trembling shadow shook her to her core. His ears were pinned back, his body low, every muscle taut with a fear he could not voice. The situation confirmed her theory.
Not even a moment after the second tremor, the winds grew turbulent and the sky began to darken ominously. Dark clouds formed and gathered at an alarming speed, swirling together to form a vortex in the sky above the deeper parts of the [Forest]. Through the opening between the trees, the girl could see the changes occurring in the sky from where she stood. She wanted to run, but how could she leave her friend behind? Her legs did not seem to move.
There was no lightning in the sky, no rain, just an unsettling silence. The tension in the air grew thick, the very atmosphere seemed to be anticipating an unspeakable event. Unaware, she stood frozen, her mouth shut tight. Until suddenly, an opening appeared amidst the concentrated clouds.
"Is that... an eye?" the girl looked in horror, her heart pounding in her chest. Her eyes widened in fear as the clouds in the distance twisted and expanded, forming an oval shape.
A colossal eye emerged from the swirling darkness, staring down upon the forest with an intensity that felt like it could pierce through flesh and bone. The oppressive pressure it radiated made time seem to freeze, causing the girl to feel both awe and terror. The eye lingered for only a few heartbeats, but in that moment, it exuded a presence that silenced the entire forest around them.
Then, just as suddenly as it appeared, the eye began to fade, the clouds unraveling into nothing. The girl staggered and leaned on Storm to regain balance, trembling, her mind struggling to grasp what she had seen. A few fleeting breaths had carried her through a moment that would linger in her memory forever, leaving the forest eerily silent and her companion, Storm, nudging her gently as if to anchor her back to the world.
She patted Storm's fur gently. A quiet "Thank you" left her lips.
After quickly wiping away the few tears that had welled up from the shock, she finally stood back up to leave. Storm matched her pace easily, following her as she run away. She could only smile after looking over at him, as she realized they were still together—and for now, that was enough.
CRACK. The sharp sound of glass cracking split the air, sending shivers down the girl's spine.
("No!") a feeling of helplessness washed over her, as this sound was all too familiar.
She whirled around, Storm at her side, ears pricked and body taut. Her eyes locked onto the wall-like barrier just as a jagged fissure raced across its surface. Tiny cracks snapped one after another, like the glass was trembling under invisible pressure. Then, with a deafening shatter, a small part a little further away exploded into shards, which dissolved into the surroundings almost instantly.
Without hesitation she hugged Storm and braced for impact, eyes watching like a hawk towards the source of the sound, between the trees. She was expecting a beast, another wave of mana, anything. However, nothing came.
Quietly, the barrier quickly started closing, repairing itself.
"What's going on?" she couldn't help but mutter to herself anxiously.
Storm, unlike before, was standing relaxed, no longer tense.
("Something is definitely wrong, we need to lea-")
Before she could finish her thought, an androgynous voice broke the heavy silence.
"Excuse me, miss" the voice reached her ears and every hair on her body stood on end. From the shadows of the trees, a boy, shorter than the girl stepped out, wearing a torn black robe, seemingly destroyed from the passage of time, in a state worse than a beggar.
He looked very young yet his body was in shambles, skinny and sickly as if he had been starved and the parts of his skin that were exposed were filled with cracks, like shattered glass, with a dark red glow behind them, save for his face, hands and feet.
From all the bizarre characteristics of his body, what drew the attention of the girl were his eyes. Silver white pupils, same as his long hair that reached his lower back. The man in front of her appeared blind, and yet his tranquil gaze was still fixated on her.
As he stepped closer, bare feet brushing against the grass, the girl instinctively drew her sword and shifted into a defensive stance.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her tone sharp, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her unease.
Storm moved ahead, pressing his head against her chest as if to reassure her. Then, without hesitation, the wolf padded toward the man.
The stranger extended a hand, and Storm lowered his head, nuzzling against his palm with the eager affection of a pup greeting an old friend.
The tense atmosphere settled completely, the wolf's response took the girl completely by surprise.
"I would advise against attacking. I assure you, I have no intention of harming your pupil," the stranger spoke in an unimpressed tone.
("Pupil? Is he talking about Storm?") she could not think of any other explanation.
His words held a peculiar weight, and the hot-blooded girl was quick to respond in retaliation after the short pause.
"He is n—" Her words were cut short as a shadow slithered up from her own, wrapping around her mouth.
Space twisted beside the blue-eyed girl. A stunning woman in a long black dress stepped into being, as if she had always been there. Her face was still, her eyes depthless and black.
The girl flinched at first, but the sight of her teacher brought an unexpected wave of relief. The woman knelt, her hair falling like a dark cascade as she motioned for the girl to join her. The blonde girl followed, awkward beside her teacher's quiet grace.
"My apologies if I have offended you in any way, Great One," the woman said, her voice measured. "I am Yselda Dawnblade, and this is my pupil, Aurelia Dawnblade. The beast by your side is named Storm. Is there anything we can do for you?" she spoke as she kept her gaze lowered, wary of inciting any displeasure from the enigmatic man.
Aurelia, meanwhile, observed the unease showing on her teacher's face.
("Great One?") is all she could think at that moment.
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