However, their conversation came to an abrupt halt as they discovered Oz unconscious in a corner of the cave. It was the same cave with the fossilized sleeping dragon and the unique, partially decayed crystal formation. Additionally, the spiky pair of shields was still present, sunk partially into the ground.
Nova quickly pulled Tim behind a rocky formation as they noticed menacing Demonbeast creatures in the vicinity. These creatures seemed to be guarding a tied-up and unconscious 9-year-old Oz.
Tim is almost hyperventilating since he is scared of any bedtime stories back then of the denizens of Forbidden Valley (Gradience) before Nova finds leftover swords they can use and whispers "Tim hold unto your lamp and I shall charge in them for a distraction while you take Oz with you back in the village okay?" Tim nervously agreed and grip onto his own sword, he and Nova held at least one as they prepare to part ways (also make a dialogue of these two before I explain further of later events)
Tim's hands trembled as he clutched his enchanted Luminous Lamp. Nova, determined and resolute, took one of the swords they had found in the cave. Their hushed conversation was tense.
Nova: "Tim, hold onto your lamp tightly. I'm going to charge at those Demonbeasts to create a distraction. When they focus on me, you grab Oz and get back to the village, okay?"
Tim, his voice quivering, agreed, gripping his own sword tightly. They both knew the risks they were taking, but it was the only option they had to rescue Oz from the Demonbeasts. With a final nod to each other, they prepared to execute their daring plan.
Afterwards, the plan starts as the boys set off to their task as Nova (he may not look it but he is an experienced figure thanks to his beat saber VR gaming and actual fencing and swordsmanship training in one of his school club or extracurricular activities back in his modern world memories and teenage life that he harness to his body) mix with the boost of his mana he is feeling a boost of strength and fought them while Tim slowly untie the ropes and carry A unconscious Oz on his back (demon beast are too focus to fight off Nova)
Nova's quick and precise swordsmanship, honed through his modern-world experiences and gaming, served him well in this dire situation. With the added strength from his mana, he fought with agility and precision, keeping the attention of the Demonbeasts focused on him.
Meanwhile, Tim worked diligently to untie the ropes that bound Oz, taking care not to make a sound. Once Oz was free, he carefully hoisted his unconscious friend onto his back. The two friends moved with a sense of urgency and determination as they executed their plan to rescue Oz from the clutches of the Demon beasts.
However once Tim safely hid the unconcious Oz somewhere safer nearby as he felt not strong enough to brave to risk pass when the exit is blocked amidst Nova's battle and he nervously use the sword they found to join in due to noticing Nova had atleast one demonbeast and the other half was in standby (this one demonbeast is very big compare to the others and a powerful mana , he has chimera like feature like Chupacabra before it lungs to attack Nova yet instead it's claws harm Tim to give a large back gash of a wound to harm him and cough blood as he trip into the unique ground of the cavern and Nova catch him to scream crying angrily as he drop his sword , the demonbeast leader that harmed Tim cackles along with other remaining lower tier demonbeast before Nova drag the slightly conscious injured Tim to Oz who just woke up in hiding to still standby their hiding , while Nova as his hands stained with his friend's blood grip the dropped two swords and use his two hands to wield them with a strong aura (his eyes lit up to show his mana type Ecto activated) as the leader of the Demonbeast stop laughing and bring out its spiky club to fight with as they prepare a rematch!!! (May the dialogue for this and the battle commence)
With his friend Tim injured, Nova's rage ignited like a blazing fire. His hands gripped the two swords tightly, and the aura around him intensified as his Ecto mana surged. The Demonbeast leader, now faced with a determined and furious opponent, readied its spiky club.
Nova's eyes glowed with fierce determination as he shouted, "You've hurt my friend, and for that, you'll pay!" With a burst of speed and precision, he charged toward the Demonbeast leader, wielding the two swords in a coordinated flurry of strikes.
The battle that ensued was fierce and intense. Nova's agility and skill allowed him to evade the Demonbeast's powerful attacks while delivering swift, calculated blows. The cavern echoed with the clash of swords and roars of fury.
As the battle raged on, Nova's determination and newfound strength fueled his every move. He fought not only for his survival but for the safety of his friends. Tim and Oz, watching from their hiding spot, held their breath, hoping that Nova could defeat the formidable foe and end this perilous encounter.
And then Nova with style, gets victorious as the limbs and the demonbeast leader beheaded (BLOODS gush out like goo everywhere) blue colored bloodstain as they aren't human of course, Nova is covered in it as he still has strength. Despite almost kneeling from the mana used to show off the other surviving Demonbeast "I HAD SLAIN your leader...IF YOU DARE come back here...tell your fellow demons that I NOVA has slain one of your kin!!! So don't you dare come back in this border if you dare to harm my kind as well" he says angrily yet still composed as he pants, the Demonbeast feared by such a mere young human defeat their leader scurry away as they drop their weapons and left the cavern (Oz was in shock while busy using healing magic on Tim just to slow down the blood loss as it's still gushing out)
The surviving Demonbeasts, terrified by Nova's display of strength and the demise of their leader, dropped their weapons and hastily retreated from the cavern. Nova, covered in the blue blood of the defeated leader, watched them leave with a mixture of triumph and anger.
Breathing heavily and with a sense of accomplishment, Nova turned back to check on Tim and Oz. Oz was using his healing magic to slow down Tim's bleeding, and Nova rushed over to assist. Together, they worked to stabilize Tim's condition.
As Tim's wounds were tended to, Nova couldn't help but feel a mixture of emotions. He had just faced down a formidable foe and won, but the price had been Tim's injury. He vowed to himself that he would protect his newfound friends and uncover the truth behind Dorothy's banishment, no matter what challenges lay ahead.
But Tim is still weak, Nova is worried about covering them with ripped garments of their clothes like bandages for his wound dressing, Oz suggests they synchronize their mana together to regenerate that chop-off flesh and blood faster (Nova tried to push his inner soul to share the life force or Ecto mana he had left) before for some reason in his delirious tired state and the healing (sacrificial) magic is working to HEAL or treat Tim to properly save his life [he hears a faint lady voice saying they are safe for now and soon pls, they shall leave the village and she will give clues to the future] "Dorothy?" He mumbles before he faints of mana and stamina exhaustion as time skip , Nova is placed in a bedroom while he rushes to check on Tim awake and thanks Nova and Oz that saving him before Oz apologizes for worrying them and the reason he went to the end borders he just wanted to retrace any evidence of foul play, yet he found nothing and instead WORRY everyone that has come to this before it was all sorted by sister Catherine to calm everyone down as they are all back home now (as for Nova he kept it to himself as he can't recall what he deliriously dreamed about while helping to heal Tim)
The three friends returned to the village, with Tim recovering from his wounds thanks to Nova and Oz's quick thinking and synchronization of their mana. Sister Catherine helped calm the villagers' fears and assured them that they were safe for now.
As they settled back into their routines, Nova couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He couldn't recall the details of the delirious dream he had when he helped heal Tim, but he felt a lingering sense of unease. Dorothy's name had surfaced in his delirium, leaving him with even more questions about his lost memories and the mysteries surrounding the village.
The days passed, and life in the village continued, but Nova couldn't help but wonder what other secrets lay hidden beneath the surface, waiting to be uncovered.
Nova brought some lunch that Sister Catherine made for him and Tim (asking the boy to visit the man) and agreed as he was walking he noticed Tim struggling to carry 2 spiky shields as he familiarity realized he was waiting. Aren't these shields from that cavern a few days ago? He was relieved Tim wasn't hurt yet pondered why it was so heavy..until he realized both he and Tim don't have strong enough muscles to handle holding lost magical items like these shields (which in turn, Nova nudged Tim that finally sweat and breathe and drop the dual shields aside and thank his friend for the food as they sat together near a tree and Nova curiously ask what's up bringing these items out?)
Tim looked at the shields he had brought from the cavern, a sense of curiosity and wonder in his eyes. He explained to Nova that these shields were no ordinary artifacts. They were imbued with ancient magic, which was the reason they felt so heavy when he tried to carry them.
"These shields are said to be tied to the legend of the sleeping dragon in the cavern," Tim began. "Legends say that they once belonged to a powerful warrior who defended the village long ago. They are said to be infused with the dragon's magic and are a symbol of protection."
Tim paused for a moment, looking at the shields thoughtfully. "I thought maybe they could be useful to our village," he continued. "But carrying them was more challenging than I expected."
Nova listened intently, realizing the significance of these magical items. He nodded in agreement and suggested that they could consult Sister Catherine or the temple to learn more about these shields and their potential uses. Together, they could uncover the secrets and mysteries surrounding these ancient artifacts.
Tim said to keep it secret since he still feels. Guilty and remind Nova WHERE THEY found the shields and might bring back bad memories or worry (maybe confiscate the item) so Tim is secretly preparing the hiding place as he ate…Nova asked if he could try carrying it later after they ate lunch. Nova nodded to agreeing such a word to safe keep such a secret.
Tim agreed to keep their discovery a secret for now, and he was relieved that Nova understood. As they finished their lunch, Tim watched Nova with a mix of curiosity and caution when Nova asked if he could try carrying one of the shields later.
Tim hesitated for a moment but then nodded, realizing that Nova was eager to help. "Sure, we can give it a try later," he said. "Just be careful; they're heavier than they look. But who knows, maybe you'll have a better grip on them than I did."
With that, they finished their meal, and Tim continued to ponder the mysteries of the magical shields while Nova eagerly anticipated the chance to test his strength with them later in the day.
As they are, Nova holds onto one of the shields first and realizes he felt the weight of this artifact slightly lighter. But still needed both hands to carry one shield for Tim was in awe and realized "RIGHT , maybe since you trained yourself subconsciously slaying those demonbeast a few days ago and their LEADER..both your mana pool and physical strength grew!!" (Nova thought to himself this feels like an RPG)
Tim's observation was spot on. Nova had indeed undergone some remarkable growth in both his physical strength and mana pool during their recent encounter with the demonbeasts and their leader. It was as if the experience had unlocked hidden potential within him.
Nova couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the thought of leveling up in this new and unfamiliar world. "You might be right," he replied with a grin. "It's like I gained some experience points from that battle. Let's see how well I can handle this shield now."
With newfound determination, Nova hoisted the shield onto his arm, and to his surprise, he found it more manageable than before. While it still required both hands to wield properly, the weight felt less burdensome.
Tim watched with amazement as Nova demonstrated his increased strength. "That's incredible," Tim exclaimed. "It seems like this world has a way of rewarding growth and progress. Who knows what other abilities we might unlock as we continue our adventures here?"
With their spirits high and newfound confidence, Nova and Tim decided to spend the rest of the day practicing with the magical shields, eager to see just how far their abilities could take them in the fantastical realm of Mythlandia.