On an afternoon in the next week, Stark, Matteo, and Hafen trained on a paved field by their house. They practiced their form.
Having more time in the day, Henry observed. "Keep your guard up," he urged.
Instead, Stark lowered his guard. He looked at his dad and requested, "Dad, may we go deeper into the depths of the forest? We're stronger than ever."
Henry frowned and questioned, "Why are you so focused on that lately?"
"Stark made a friend, but he has not seen him in a while," Matteo revealed.
"You've gone out without any supervision," Henry inquired.
Stark nudged Matteo to remain quiet. "It was a few years ago, but that's not the only reason why. There's also this girl that we encountered," he murmured. He raised his fist and proclaimed, "Back then, she seemed really strong, so I want to see if I'm stronger than her, now."
"Ah, the girl of the depths. Sorry, but I can't let you," Henry asserted.
"Why," Stark whined.
"The depths are very dangerous. There are things beyond your imagination. You could get seriously hurt. That girl might have her own reasons for being out there," Henry reiterated.
While watering her garden, Adelia listened in and stopped. "We worry that you would get lost," she pointed out.
"Yes, you are not ready, yet. You have much more to learn. You still have to master your secret techniques," Henry pressed.
Stark groaned in frustration. "I'm capable of defending myself against anything even monsters," he claimed.
Matteo nodded and exclaimed, "I am, too."
Henry chuckled and revealed, "Monsters are not the only threat. There's still something stronger than any of you. At your level, you'll be captured and tortured. You must be strong as Pepe."
Hafen narrowed his eyes and questioned, "Is that so?"
Henry affirmed and rubbed his chin.
Adelia smirked.
After Henry's warning, Stark, Hafen, and Matteo were more motivated to get stronger.
Henry's training became even harsher.
Matteo, Stark, and Hafen practiced their forms, punches, kicks, and blocks. They learned how to use the surrounding environment and their strengths to their advantage.
"It's time for dinner," Adelia eventually called out.
Hafen, Stark, and Matteo ran inside and ate through bowls of food.
"Your older brother, Pepe, will be coming by, tomorrow. Get a good night of rest to greet him in the morning," Henry announced.
Hafen, Matteo, and Stark were elated and ecstatic. They cheered.
As she cleaned dishes, Adelia smiled at her family.
On the next morning, Matteo, Hafen, and Stark sat on the porch and gazed at the paved path. They excitedly waited for Pepe's arrival.
"Is Pepe going to show up? We've been waiting for an hour," Stark grumbled after a short while. He slouched.
"He'll show up, and we will win this time," Hafen muttered and patiently squinted.
"Pepe would never forget about us," Matteo exclaimed and swung his feet back and forth.
Henry worked on his farm, and he heard a familiar voice. He glanced at the source and saw his wife talking with Pepe. He looked at the different path where Pepe came from. "That path leads to the depths," he sternly noted.
"Good morning, Pepe. Come inside. I prepared some food for your arrival," Adelia reassured.
"Awesome! I'm starving," Pepe commented and laughed. He was welcomed inside.
"Did you guys hear that? It's Pepe. He's inside," Hafen alerted.
"Huh? How did we not notice him walk by," Stark wanted to know.
Matteo giggled and stood up. He rushed inside.
Hafen and Stark followed.
"Thank you for the food, Adelia," Pepe mumbled. He smiled and grasped his third bowl of potatoes from her. He stared at it and drooled.
Suddenly, the door slammed open.
Pepe was startled, and he looked down the hallway.
Stark, Matteo, and Hafen stood. They grinned, and they were raring to go.
Pepe gobbled the potatoes down and munched. He swallowed and sighed in relief. He stood up. Realizing their excitement, he faced his siblings. "How about we have a rematch," he suggested.
On the paved field, Matteo, Hafen, and Stark had accepted the challenge. They took their positions and surrounded Pepe.
Pepe, with his hands behind his back, queried, "Let's see if any of you can land a hit this time. Are you ready?"
Matteo nodded. He, using his speed, charged at Pepe.
However, Pepe dodged and stuck out a foot. He tripped him.
Matteo tumbled down to the ground.
Stark, taking this opportunity, rushed to Pepe.
Pepe smirked. In a split second, he swiftly avoided his punches. After a few attacks, he knocked him down with an elbow.
Hafen was shocked. He growled and lunged towards him. He threw a punch.
Pepe, once again, evaded.
At the same time, Matteo moved behind him and attempted a sneak attack. He unleashed a rapid flying kick.
Pepe barely noticed the attack and ducked out of the way. He grasped his shirt and tossed him aside.
Relentless, Hafen followed up with a flurry of attacks.
Pepe deflected it. He spun and backhanded him away.
Hafen, Stark, and Matteo struggled to get up.
"Let's surround him again and attack at the same time this time," Hafen commanded.
Stark and Matteo obliged.
They surrounded Pepe. In sync, they launched their attacks on Pepe.
Pepe, however, weaved, and he was able to knock them down with their own attacks. He grinned proudly.
Matteo, Stark, and Hafen laid on the ground. They seemed exhausted.
Pepe smiled and closed his eyes. He offered, "Let me give you some advice. Your moves are slow and predictable, and you need to..." He heard a sound and opened his eyes. His face changed from a prideful to a worried look.
Hafen, Stark, and Matteo were gone.
Dust floated into the air.
Pepe, surprised, looked around. He panicked and finished, "Uh, you need to fool and catch your opponent off guard. I guess you guys already figured it out." He gulped, and a tear of sweat flowed down his temple.
Behind him, Stark, Hafen, and Matteo appeared. They all simultaneously attacked him.
Pepe turned around at the last second. He was hit with three ferocious punches, and he was knocked back. He rolled on the dirt.
Stark, Hafen, and Matteo halted. Their eyes were wide, surprised that their attack actually connected.
After a few seconds, Pepe stood up, and he was slightly winded. "Well done. You beat me," he complimented their improvement and weakly smiled.
"Yes, we're strong enough," Stark declared.
Hafen crossed his arms and affirmed.
"Working together, we are unstoppable," Matteo proclaimed.
Pepe chuckled and agreed. Even though he could continue and win, he gave them the victory without knowing of the consequences.
"Let's go and face that girl," Stark rallied.
Hafen and Matteo nodded.
Pepe raised an eyebrow and asked, "Wait! What girl?"
"There's this girl that resides in the depths of the forest. After beating you, we can head back there, and I'm certain we can beat her, too," Stark claimed.
Pepe blinked in confusion. He surveyed, "Say what? A girl in the depths?"
Hafen assumed, "You might know her. She held an egg of a snake and mentioned The Orphanage last time."
In realization, Pepe stammered, "Huh? Hold on, brothers. You aren't strong enough to face her."
Matteo frowned and questioned, "Is she stronger than you, Pepe?"
Pepe paused and hesitated to answer. "Of course not. I would win against her," he blurted out and pointed at himself. "Just don't go into the depths. Your parents will get mad at me," he insisted.
"Fine," Stark murmured.
Stark, Matteo, and Hafen relented temporarily.
After their spar, Pepe waved goodbye and walked back to The Orphanage.
"Come back soon," Matteo invited.
After some time, Hafen, Matteo, and Stark continued their training.
Suddenly, a loud rumbling sound came from the forest.
Henry stopped planting seeds and looked into the depths of the forest.
Adelia, holding her baby, watered her garden. She was alarmed by the sound. She checked where her sons were. Her eyes widened.
No sign of them.
Stark, Hafen, and Matteo left to check what was making the sound.
In the depths, giant trees towered over the forest's floor. Creating a maze, their giant roots spread throughout the dirt. A mystical fog loomed across the area. Energy flowed through the air. This allowed for small plants, like bushes, to thrive, as well.
A giant monster, with eight legs, was in the middle of the forest. It had green armor and spikes. On its abdomen, a large symbol was imprinted.
Hafen, Stark, and Matteo were stunned to see a monster. They were determined to stop it. However, they noticed something peculiar.
The monster rested with a gash on its back.
"So, what made the sound," Matteo questioned.
Just then, a girl leaped down from the trees. She approached the monster and stopped a few feet away from it.
Stark, Matteo, and Hafen immediately recognized her as the girl of the depths, whom they fought a long time ago. Prepared to confront her, they loomed closer.
The monster twitched. It moved past the girl and crawled away.
The girl turned and glanced at Hafen, Stark, and Matteo. Her black hair swayed, and her red eyes glistened in the darkness and mystical fog.
Matteo waved and said, "Hello again."
Stark readied himself. He furrowed his eyebrows and inquired, "Are you going to do anything about that monster?"
"What are your intentions," Hafen further interrogated.
The girl solemnly looked at the ground. Her eyes were watery.
"Brothers, something is different about her. She seems sad. Look! She's crying," Matteo pointed out.
"I'm a failure," the girl expressed and continued, "But I'll be fine." She wiped her eyes and calmed herself.
The monster continued its rampage through the forest.
"It's heading towards our house. What is it," Hafen alerted.
The girl gasped. She got serious and revealed, "It's a species of monster called spiders."
Stark was shocked. "That can't be right. We encountered them before. They're supposed to be a lot smaller," he pressed.
"Monsters seek evolution. They are constantly trying to reach their next form," the girl divulged. She narrowed her eyes and questioned, "That monster means no harm, and it was attacked. What do you plan to do?"
Stark, with determination, exclaimed, "We are strong, so we will stop it."
Hafen and Matteo nodded and expressed their agreement.
Stark, Matteo, and Hafen chased after the spider. They disappeared into the depths.
The girl sighed and muttered, "They'll get themselves killed." She followed them.
Deeper in the forest, Hafen, Stark, and Matteo caught up to the spider. They stopped in their tracks when the spider's large legs blocked their path. They stared at it in awe.
The spider was massive, and it towered over the kids.
"Hey! Over here," Stark called out.
The spider slowly turned around and roared.
Matteo covered his frightened face with his trembling arms. He was intimidated.
Hafen was curious. Attempting to understand it, he listened with serious intent. His eyes opened wide.
Stark clenched his fists. "Argh," he yelled at the top of his lungs and charged.
In the next moment, the spider attacked.
A large ball of web hurled. It created an explosion which knocked back Matteo and Hafen.
Energy radiated into the air.
Out of the smoke, Stark quickly jumped in the air and punched one of the spider's eyes. "Take that," he shouted.
The giant spider screeched in agony and ran through the giant roots and bushes. It scurried away in a different direction.
Stark landed on the ground and sighed in relief.
Matteo and Hafen approached him.
"You're so strong," Matteo laughed and praised.
"That spider is leaving the area," Hafen asserted.
Stark nodded and stood up.
"Wait. How do you know," Matteo questioned.
"Did you not hear what it said," Hafen asked.
Matteo was unsure how to answer. He imitated the monster's roar.
Hafen chuckled.
Stark placed his hands on his waist and looked around. He frowned and murmured, "Now, where is that girl? She was following us."
From the branches of a tree, the girl arrived and observed them. She was astounded by them. "No adult would dare to fight a monster. Even so, they faced it with determination. Their improvement is apparent," she noted.
Afterwards, Matteo, Hafen, and Stark returned home late. Their stomachs rumbled due to starvation.
Adelia and Henry were concerned about them.
"We were worried about you, kids. Where were you," Adelia demanded to know.
"We encountered a monster," Hafen asserted.
Henry, shocked, interrogated, "What were you thinking? It's too dangerous."
Matteo, excited, described, "It was a massive spider. Stark punched its eye, and it ran away."
Adelia and Henry were stunned.
"After all, we beat Pepe, so I had the power to stop it. That spider will not come back," Stark gloated.
Henry sighed and queried, "Why was it even there?"
Stark and Matteo exchanged looks.
"We don't know," Matteo muttered.
Hafen coughed and interjected, "That spider was attacked by another monster called soldiers. It'll be fine as long as it stays in the forest and far from the districts."
Stark and Matteo blinked and looked at him. They were puzzled.
"Spiders are apex monsters that eat humans. Don't make stuff up," Stark remarked.
Hafen frowned and insisted, "I'm not. It's what it said."
Henry sighed.
Adelia embraced her three sons. "I'm relieved you, three, came back alive. Don't stress us out like that again," she pleaded.
"We got you kids registered for the newly built school. Please behave and don't argue," Henry urged.
Stark, Hafen, and Matteo nodded.
What was next for The Fisher Family? What encounters would they have in the future?