On the other side of the world, a place of stunning beauty lay spread out. Thick clouds swirled gracefully, dancing across the sky, inviting anyone who looked up to get lost in their gentle ballet.
Below, low-lying trees swayed softly to the rhythm of the wind, while a clear river meandered peacefully, reflecting the flawless light of the sky. There was no sound of engines, no blare of horns—only the song of nature: the rustle of the wind, the babbling of the water, and the whisper of leaves.
Truly, a world that seemed like paradise.
But behind all beauty, a mystery always lies in wait.
Among the trunks of giant trees, something was moving. Its form was immense, piercing through the mist with wild, glowing red eyes, and weaving past ancient trees with impossible agility. Its tongue flickered out now and then, letting out a long hiss that could freeze anyone's blood. The sound wasn't just heard—it crept into your very bones.
Occasionally, the creature would coil around a tree trunk, as if assessing its territory, testing the strength of the forest that tried to contain it. But no matter how vast the forest was, this giant body dominated. Its size could be compared to a Boeing jetliner, terrifying and very much alive.
Twilight on the Grasslands
From a distance, a vast expanse of grassland stretched out, swaying in the evening breeze. Above it, three human figures ran in a desperate hurry. Their breath came in gasps, chests heaving uncontrollably. Every step sounded like a small thud on the damp ground—hahh… ahhh… sahhh—as if their lives depended on a single, fragile thread that could snap at any moment.
One of them, a knight in worn-out armor with a sword clutched in his hand, looked back, half-yelling and half-gasping:
"There's no other way, Young Master! We have to enter the Forbidden Forest and hide there!"
But the youth called "Young Master" was already out of strength. His body faltered, his knees gave way, and he fell to the ground, his face pale and covered in sweat.
The mage running beside them stopped instantly. His long robe billowed wildly in the wind. With a sharp gaze, he called out, "Come here, Young Master!" Without waiting for a reply, he grabbed the youth, hoisted him onto his back, and resumed running without looking back.
However, the distance between them and their pursuers was shrinking fast. Four dark shadows hunted behind them, their steps light yet as swift as hungry wolves. One of the pursuers raised a hand, muttering in a foreign language that sounded like a whispered curse.
Suddenly, a magic circle formed in the air, glowing a pale blue. From its center, sharp shards of ice jutted out, pointed like spears, then hurtled through the air, aimed directly at the three fugitives.
The mage carrying the Young Master gritted his teeth. With his left hand, he gripped his staff, while his right supported the youth to keep him from falling. He chanted quickly, his voice merging with their running footsteps:
"Open, earth—rise, protective wall!"
Druggggg! His staff slammed into the ground. A powerful tremor spread in all directions, making the earth crack open. From the fissures, a giant wall shot up in an instant, made of solid earth and rock that merged like an ancient fortress.
Tsshhk! The ice spears struck hard, impaling themselves on the surface of the earth wall. Some shattered into pieces, while others remained stuck, still vibrating. The broken ice glinted in the moonlight, reflecting the shadows of the pursuers.
The mage was breathless but didn't stop. "Hurry! We're not safe yet!" he exclaimed, while the ground beneath them still trembled, as if responding to a magic call that had not yet fully faded.
The Forbidden Forest – Outer Edge
The three of them gasped for air. Twigs snapped under their feet, the sound of their breathing racing with their pounding hearts. Kaelion Darius Aurelian—a young prince of fifteen—tried to keep going, his fragile body close to collapsing. His voice trembled, his eyes welled up, and his face turned pale.
"Uncle Vael… Uncle Garrick… I-I'm… sorry. If only I hadn't insisted on going to the academy, none of this would have happened…"
Sir Garrick Thorneval, an old knight with a muscular, war-scarred body, looked back sharply. His voice was loud and firm but full of sincerity.
"Young Master Kaelion, hold your head high!" he bellowed. "It's our duty to protect you. Besides, did you think you'd be safe in the palace? Your power-hungry siblings would have found a way to get rid of you anyway. Especially with the Emperor being so sick now—you're a target no matter where you are!"
Seraphis Vaelthorne, a Circle 6 mage, was still carrying Kaelion in his arms. His breathing was heavy, but his eyes were cold and filled with conviction.
"That's right, Young Master," he said. "We swore an oath to your late mother to protect you. Our lives are no longer our own—they belong to you."
But before the silence could return, WHUUMMM! A large sword hurtled from the side, cleaving the air like a bolt of lightning. Sir Garrick turned quickly, his sword raised with the reflex of a true fighter. CLAAANGG! The two metals clashed, and a spray of green aura exploded into the air.
Garrick hissed, his teeth clenched tight against the pressure. "Barton…"
He pushed hard, then kicked his opponent. Barton was thrown backward, landing near the other three figures—two Circle 6 mages and a shadow assassin. Barton laughed loudly, his voice echoing menacingly among the trees.
"Old man… your body is still as tough as steel! Hahahaha!" he said boisterously.
"But hand over the boy's head, and we might consider letting you live."
Sir Garrick narrowed his eyes, his face cold with fury. "Who hired you? The first prince? Or that cunning second princess?"
Barton only laughed harder. "You don't need to know, old man!" A green aura spewed from his body, vibrating fiercely like a storm about to be unleashed. Barton was a Master Knight, just like Garrick—but he was much younger, his energy still fresh.
BOOOMMM! The two auras exploded simultaneously as their swords collided again. The air trembled, and the surrounding trees toppled from the sheer force of the energy.
Sir Garrick glanced back. "Vael! Run! I'll hold them off!"
Barton roared and leaped forward, and Garrick met his charge. The two aura-clad swords crashed into each other, creating an explosion of sound that split the formerly tranquil forest.
Meanwhile, Barton's two allied mages raised their hands high. Their spells glowed, one with a freezing blue magic circle, the other a fiery red. WUSHHHH! KRAAAAK! Fire and ice merged, shooting toward Vael and Kaelion.
Vael slammed his staff down. "Terra Aegis!"
The ground trembled, DUUUMMM! forming a giant wall. The fire and ice struck, shattering into hundreds of fragments. Auras of heat and cold clashed, enveloping the air. Vael was breathless, sweat pouring down his face. His mana was draining fast.
He bit his lip, reaching into a magical pouch. He pulled out a glowing potion bottle and gave it to Kaelion.
"Young Master! Drink this! It's so… you can run!"
Kaelion looked at the bottle with hesitation, but his hand trembled as he took it.
At that moment, a dark shadow darted between the trees. The shadow assassin, Barton's ally, glided silently like a ghost, his dagger ready to plunge into Kaelion's heart from behind.
But before he could strike, WUUUUUSHHHH! The forest trembled. From behind the thick foliage, a giant white creature slithered. Its eyes glowed red, its long tongue flickered, and its hiss echoed menacingly. Its jaws opened—larger than a two-story house—its fangs like spears.
CRAAASSHHHH! In a single lunge, the assassin vanished. His body was swallowed whole, only a fleeting scream heard before silence returned.
Four pairs of eyes were frozen in place. The two mages allied with Barton, Vael, and Kaelion all stared, their faces pale. Even their spells were almost forgotten.
Vael whispered, trembling, "It's… the legendary serpent… Bathara Sarpah…"
HISSSSSHHHH!!! The giant snake raised its head, its red eyes locking onto Barton's two mages. Without a moment's hesitation, its body shot forward like a white storm. The ground shook, and large trees were ripped from their roots.
The two mages panicked, their hands trembling as they chanted spells. Fire, ice, and flashes of light mixed together, but Bathara Sarpah's body continued its charge, unyielding.
On the other side, Garrick and Barton were still fighting, their clashing auras devastating the surrounding forest. But they were now too far away, leaving only Vael and Kaelion to face the legendary creature.
Vael snapped back to reality, his face tight with tension. He turned to Kaelion.
"Young Master! We have to run! Deeper into the forest! The large trees might slow it down!"
Kaelion stumbled, his voice cracking. "W-what about Uncle Garrick?!"
Vael shook his head quickly. "Sir Garrick will be fine. But we… we are in a bad position. Remember the legend—Bathara Sarpah can smell its prey from hundreds of miles away… Once it has chosen, none escape."
Kaelion's eyes widened, his body trembling. But he could only nod, powerless. Vael grabbed his hand, pulling him along.
The Chase into the Deep Woods
DUUUUUUMMMM!!!
The ground trembled, and giant trees swayed as if caught in a hurricane. From the darkness of the primeval forest, a pale white, monstrous body emerged, its scales gleaming coldly. Bathara Sarpah—a legendary serpent from ancient tales—was on a rampage. The two unfortunate mages shrieked, unable to put up a fight, their bodies crushed by its terrifying jaws. Streaks of blood dripped from its long teeth, a mix of red and green, staining the tree roots.
The snake's head rose high, its red eyes spinning wildly, its nostrils flaring as it scented other prey. With a long hiss, the mountain-sized body slithered forward again, tearing through trees like brittle twigs.
Escape in the Dark
The forest, even in the middle of the day, was pitch-black. The trunks of the ancient trees rose like prison bars, blocking out all sunlight. Two figures ran in a rush, their breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Young Master! Faster!!!" Vael shouted, blood streaming from his nose.
Kaelion, his face pale, looked back in a panic. From behind, a horrifying sound echoed:
DUUUMM! CRASSHH! DUMMM! CRASSHH!
Followed by a long, ear-piercing hiss.
Vael raised his staff. A magic earth spell poured from his lips. The ground trembled, and roots shot up to block the monster's path. But its colossal body tore through them with ease.
"Ahhhhhh!!!" Vael clutched his head, his body trembling. The pain felt like a thousand needles stabbing his brain. Blood flowed heavily from his nose.
Kaelion wanted to help, but they were being chased by death itself. They kept running, pushing through the labyrinth-like forest.
A hundred meters… three hundred… four hundred… the sound of destruction continued to follow them, getting closer.
The Sword Fight
On the other side, Garrick and Barton faced each other. Two Master Knights traded blows with their auras.
DUAARRR! BRAK! CLAAANG! TANGGG!
The sound of their swords was like a thunderous storm. Each slash ripped through the air, leaving behind a flash of light.
Barton roared in fury.
"Damn you, you old rat!!! Die!!!"
Garrick didn't reply. Despite being over forty years old, his experience made every move calm. A blue aura glowed from his sword, fighting against Barton's fiery green one.
Barton's slash came down, and Garrick parried—but a tricky move! Barton switched his grip, his sword darting in another direction. Garrick dodged, but his left arm was severed, blood gushing out!
"Arrghhh!!!" His teeth chattered to hold back the pain.
But behind the pain, Garrick saw an opening. He leaned his body, bent his knees, then delivered a straight thrust that went right through Barton's heart!
CRASSHHH!
Barton's eyes widened in disbelief. Before he could collapse, Garrick swung his sword one last time—SRAAKK!—and Barton's head was decapitated, rolling on the ground.
Blood stained the earth.
Garrick fell to his knees, his breath ragged, the world spinning. His stump of an arm trembled, his eyes went dark, and he collapsed next to his opponent's corpse.
Vael's Sacrifice
Meanwhile, Vael and Kaelion continued to run. From a distance, the snake's hiss grew louder. The giant body slithered, trees toppling one by one.
"YOUNG MASTER!!! THERE'S A CAVE UP AHEAD!!!" Vael screamed.
Kaelion looked back, his eyes shining with hope. But Vael's face hardened. He knew they wouldn't make it. The snake was too fast.
With his last ounce of strength, Vael plunged his staff into the ground. The auras of earth and wind merged, and a small explosion pushed Kaelion's body toward the cave. The boy flew through the air, landing safely in front of a narrow opening.
Kaelion looked back, his face filled with panic. "Uncle Vael!!!"
Vael stood rigid. His eyes were downcast, his lips curved into a weak smile. His body was already numb from an overdose of magic.
SDRAAAMMM!!!
Bathara Sarpah's body lunged, its jaws wide open. In a flash, Vael was gone, swallowed whole, leaving nothing behind.
"UNCLEEEE!!!" Kaelion screamed, tears streaming down his face.
Inside the Cave
Kaelion entered the dark cave, his breath coming in ragged pants, his shoulders heaving. The cave was only the size of a house, yet a massive tremor shook it.
DUARRR!
The snake slammed into the wall, and rocks rained down. The monstrous body forced its way in, the cave opening widening as if being ripped apart.
Kaelion ran, the cave walls cracking to follow the snake's form. The sound of destruction echoed, like hell itself was chasing him from behind. Small stalactites fell, hitting his shoulder and tearing his skin.
He kept running deeper, and… a vast chamber opened up. The cave soared upward, its size larger than a small city. The walls were adorned with glowing crystals, reflecting light like a million stars.
But the beauty offered no salvation.
SSSZZZZHHH!!!
The snake was right behind him, its mouth gaping wide, its spear-like teeth ready to swallow him whole.
The Death of Two Souls
But the snake's reckless movement brought disaster. The vibration from its body caused a massive stalactite, millions of years old, to break off from the ceiling. The sharp, rock-like spears, gleaming like diamonds, rained down on the cave.
DUARRR!!! BRAASSHHH!!! DUUUSHHH!!!
One by one, the stalactites plunged into Bathara Sarpah's body. Its jaw was impaled, its body rolled over, and green blood spurted out. The snake writhed, trapped, and screamed with a horrifying hiss that shook the soul. The final stalactite fell directly onto its head.
CRASSSHHHH!!!
The head of the legendary serpent was pierced. Its body convulsed for a moment, then fell still.
Kaelion was not safe either. His small body was thrown by the collapse, his head hitting a rock. Warm, red blood flowed across his face. With his last bit of consciousness, he stared at the monster's carcass. His lips moved, as if in a bitter smile, and then his eyes closed. His breathing stopped…
Silence.
Only dust and the giant corpse pierced with jewel-like rocks remained.
Suddenly…
A sphere of light burst forth. The necklace that Kaelion always wore trembled, as if calling to the light. The light enveloped Kaelion's lifeless body.
And then…
…
Something began to rise from within it.
…